Slaving for the Past
by Torean
Summary: To help Winry, Ed becomes Roy's personal slave for a week. During this week, Roy finds out a lot of interesting things about Ed. RoyEd. Due for a major revision!
1. Rumours

**(9-22-08) Thanks for the 10,000 hits! XD**

**I just started typing and this is what came out. This is crappy work compared to my other stories. The beginning is "jumpy" as I just ran through the days, but it gets better towards the end. Before you read there are some things you should know.  
-Set in 21-century, modern, high school  
-Alphonse is dead (explained later on)  
-Alchemy died out years ago (explained later on)  
-Roy's 18, Ed and Winry are 16  
-This is still set in Amestris though**

**I think that's about it! Oh and the rating will most likely change to M for later chapter, I haven't decided yet. So please read and review! No flames though. Thank you!!**

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The sun was high in the sky and radiated a comforting warmth. It was the beginning of April, and spring was right around the corner. People couldn't wait for that, because after spring came summer and summer meant freedom to every student. Some of the kids were already starting to countdown; some of them had it down to a science being able to tell you how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds were left until the final bell of the final day of school. But summer was still a long ways off. Classes were going on, the hallways were still full of students, lessons were being taught, and tests were still being handed out. Everyday there was that one hour slot during school that was like a mini-summer, and everyday during the one hour lunch, the same girl would gaze with wanting eyes at the same boy across the yard.

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Another sigh.

"What's wrong with you?" the boy asked his friend as he joined her on a bench. She was staring out at something, more like someone, across the courtyard.

"I want him!" Winry exclaimed and held out her arms toward the boy she'd been staring at, but he never noticed her. Roy Mustang never noticed anyone who wouldn't put out or wasn't in his group.

Ed started laughing.

"What's so funny!?"

"Roy Mustang? Seriously? That's your new obsession this month?" Ed asked.

Every month Winry would pick one guy to dream about, and if by the end of that month she hadn't established any kind of relationship with him, then she'd pick a new one. This month it happened to be Roy Mustang, a senior; Ed and Winry were only sophomores.

"Well, why not? He's popular, he's smart, he's dreamy, and he's got a body that's been carved by angels! I don't see why I can't have him," Winry said and she let out another sigh. "I'd give anything just for one date with him...Hey, where are you going?" she asked when she noticed that Ed was walking away.

"To get you your date," he called out from over his shoulder.

"Oh, no...please don't screw this up..." she muttered, but Ed had already made it across the courtyard.

"-that dumb bit...Well, what do we have here?" Roy said and turned his attention to the small blond that had entered his domain.

"Roy, I'd like to talk with you about something," Ed said.

"What was that? I can't hear you down there," Roy mocked, placing his hand around his ear and slightly leaning downward. His group of followers laughed. Roy was the leader in the group. He'd say jump and they'd all ask how high.

Ed bit his lip to stop the outburst of obscenities that threatened to come forth. He hated when people made comments on his short stature.

"Please, I'd like to talk with you," Ed repeated.

"Fine, fine," Roy said and they walked out of the group.

Ed would have said what he wanted to say with the group there, but he was a little embarrassed at what he was doing.

"You see her?" Ed asked and pointed across the courtyard at Winry and Roy nodded.

"Yeah, what about her?"

"Just one date is all I'm asking," Ed said and prepared himself to have to beg.

"Alright."

"You'll do it? Wow, that was easier than I thought..." Ed watched a smirk form on Roy's lips, "...wait a minute, what's the catch?"

"I'll go on a date with her if you become my slave for a week," Roy replied smirking still and folded his arms across his chest.

Ed thought about it and as he looked over at Winry, he sighed. "Fine, but don't try anything funny with Winry."

"Okay, I'll try my best. So we have a deal?" Roy asked and stuck out his hand; Ed just looked at the hand.

"Deal," he said. Roy took his unshaken hand back to himself and buried it deep in his pocket.

"Tell Winry I'll pick her up at 8 on Friday, and you are to come home with me Monday after school," Roy said.

Ed nodded his understanding, and each student went back to their respective places on the courtyard.

_'This'll be interesting,' _Roy thought as he joined his group and looked back at Ed watching the other blonde, Winry, hug him tightly.

The remainder of that day went by as normal except that Roy couldn't stop thinking of the small blond teenager. He was making a long mental list of questions he wanted to ask him. Ed came to this school as a mystery in December, five months ago. No one knew where he had come from or what his story was, he never spoke to anyone other than Winry and for that he was marked as a "freak" to the others, but that wasn't all to it. No matter how hot it was that day he'd always be wearing long sleeves and gloves, and he always had a Flamel cross somewhere on his clothing. Alchemy wasn't practiced anywhere near here, some people didn't even believe it existed or thought it was a sin to practice. There were so many rumours revolving around Edward Elric, and Roy really wanted to know which were true and which weren't.

Wednesday ended and Thursday began.

Thursday seemed to go by entirely too quickly. Friday came.

Like with all of his classes, Ed slept. He was far from a studious person when it came to these subjects. Algebra. Biology. English. History. These classes were all so boring to him and the information being taught seemed to be so menial compared to what he'd learned in the past before coming to this school. Alchemy. Alchemy was the only subject that mattered to him, but sadly, they didn't teach that here. Alchemy was hardly taught anywhere. He learned alchemy on his own, but he had to keep that a secret because there was no telling what people would do to him if they found out. He recalled reading an article in the paper a year back about someone getting beaten near death for studying alchemy. He didn't want that happening, so he kept it a secret, but he still always wore the cross of the alchemist on him. They couldn't do anything to him for that. The only person who knew all about him was Winry and that was because he lived with her under the care of her grandmother, Pinako.

The day whizzed by and next thing he knew he was back home and watching Winry pacing back and forth on the porch waiting for Roy to show up for their date.

"Would you calm down!? You're making me nervous! He'll be here," Ed said standing propped up against the wall.

"He's here! How do I look?" Winry asked as a convertible blue Ford Mustang (how ironic that it was driven by Roy Mustang) started to pull down the drive way.

"You look fine, now go already!"

Winry hugged him tightly and walked down the steps. Roy waved to him with a wink as Winry got into his car and they drove off.

_'If he does anything to her, I swear I will kill him,' _Ed swore to himself, gold eyes flashing in the dark. He thought of Winry like a sister. He needed someone to protect since Alphonse...He shook off the upcoming thought.

He sat on the porch swing and listened to his MP3 player while he waited for them to come back. He gently swung back and forth on the swing and hummed the guitar melody that was playing in his ears.

Three and a half hours later, the same car pulled down the driveway, it's headlights shining on the porch. Ed watched as the two teenagers inside leaned towards each other and kissed before Winry got out. Roy pulled out of the driveway and Winry slowly walked up the steps.

"You waited up?" she asked.

"Yep, nothing better to do on a Friday night," Ed replied hitting the stop button on his MP3 player.

They walked into the house and Winry told him all about it. They went out to dinner and then to the movies and then got ice cream and then Roy parked the car on a popular cliff that overlooked the city, but she insisted that nothing happened there and that they only talked, then he brought her home.

The weekend went by and Ed thought his ears were going to fall off; every other word out of Winry's mouth involved Roy and their date Friday night and how much fun they had. He was about ready to scream from the Roy overload!

Monday came and now it was time for Ed to fulfill his part of the deal. Instead of his normal sleeping through class that day, he wondered what Roy would ask of him. He actually had a dreadful feeling that Roy was going to _demand _things out of him, things that made him blush when he thought about it; Roy just seemed the kind of person to do something like that and plus Ed had heard numerous stories about Roy's actions with girls from Winry, but Ed wasn't a girl and Roy didn't like boys as far as he could tell...well, he hoped that was the case. He'd just have to wait and see, but if the situation came up, did Ed have a right to stop him? The deal was a date for one week of being Roy's personal slave, Ed never specified what could and couldn't be done, so that left open any action. Roy could do anything to him for this week and there weren't any parents around to stop him; Roy lived by himself in his own apartment.

_'What the hell have I gotten myself into!?'_ Ed asked himself for the hundredth time that day.

The last bell of the day rang through the school and students poured out of every classroom and out of the building. Ed walked with Winry to the student parking lot and explained to her that he was going to Roy's to help him with his chemistry project; he didn't want Winry knowing why he was actually going to Roy's, but she seemed to buy his explanation as she shrugged and left.

Roy was sitting behind the steering wheel of his topless Mustang waiting for Ed. Ed opened the passenger side and got in.

"You ready?" Roy asked looking at him.

"Yes," Ed said softly. He shifted uncomfortably because he could feel Roy's black eyes starring at him, examining him. Finally, he started his car and they drove away.

Ed never realized how close Roy lived to him; he could see his house down the road. Roy fiddled with his keys until he found the right one, placed it into the keyhole, turned it, and was rewarded with a click. He opened the door and they walked inside.

"First order, I want you to do the dishes. It's just me here, so there aren't a lot of them," Roy said as he shut the front door and then led Ed to the kitchen. Roy sat down at the table and dug through his backpack until he found what he wanted. He motioned for Ed to get busy as he started doing his calculus assignment.

Roy watched as Ed removed his jacket for the first time and laid it on the back of a chair. Underneath the zipped jacket there was a long-sleeved black button-up shirt; Ed was still wearing black gloves though.

Sighing, Ed ran some hot water and starting scrubbing the dirty plates and glasses with a soapy sponge. He rinsed them well and dried them, then set them aside. Once finished he frowned when he realized that his gloves were wet. He looked behind him and saw that Roy was concentrating hard on his assignment and wasn't paying any attention to Ed. With that knowledge, Ed took off his wet gloves and reached into his pocket to pull out his other pair which were white and dry. When he was done, he turned to Roy.

"Finished. What now?" Ed asked. Roy looked up at him from his work and it looked as if he was thinking of what to tell Ed to do.

"Just go around the apartment and straighten up," Roy said and Ed left the kitchen to go into the living room where he started placing misplaced items where he assumed they went. After that, he went down the hall and through the first door which appeared to be Roy's room.

He walked over to the bed and started making it, that was all the needed to be done in there. He turned around to walk out of the room and gasped in shock when he saw Roy standing there.

"Don't do that! You scared me!" Ed yelled.

Roy laughed and walked closer to him. Every step forward he took, Ed took one step back. Roy's eyes flashed with something that Ed wanted nothing to do with. Ed ran out of steps to take as he ran into the bed and fell on it. He looked up at Roy.

"Shit!" Ed yelped as Roy grabbed him and pushed him on his back. Ed struggled as Roy's hands started unbuttoning his black shirt. As much as Ed tried to push Roy off of him, it was of no use.

Roy gasped when he got the shirt unbuttoned and discarded. Metal.

"It's true. Your arm is automail," Roy said and ran his hand over the cold steel.

"You could've just asked and I would've told you!" the blond seethed.

Roy smiled and remembered the other half of the automail rumour.

"Yeah, but this is just so much funner," he said as he pushed his hand down Ed's pants before he could react. Ed jerked as he felt Roy's fingers wrap around his length.

Ed couldn't move. He was deep in shock and surprise and fear.

"Well, that's not metal," Roy muttered. He dug his leg into Ed's and smiled, "but that sure is."

Roy didn't let go of him as he leaned forward and with his free hand wrapped his fingers around Ed's slender neck. Under his fingers, Roy felt Ed's pulse double; he also noticed that his breathing was now ragged. He wanted to take it one more step further to get the most out of Ed's reaction. He removed his hand out of Ed's pants and brought it up to play with Ed's right nipple. He leaned forward and closed his eyes as he ran his tongue over Ed's lower lip causing the small teenager to struggle wildly. Roy smiled as he slightly tightened his grip around Ed's neck which ceased the struggle. He then placed his lips on Ed's. After a few seconds, his lips left Ed's and he starting kissing the side of his neck that his hand wasn't covering.

_'Not again! No! Please! Not again! Don't let this happen to me again!'_ Ed thought in panic.

He felt Roy starting to rock his groin against Ed's lower region moaning as he did.

"No!" Ed cried out as he gathered his strength and pushed Roy off of him. "No, no, no, no, no,..." Ed repeated the simple word over and over as he sank to the ground hunched over with his bare back to Roy.

Roy knew he had gone too far. He left his bed and walked over to the shaking body, but froze when he saw Ed's back. Ed's back was covered with scars. He'd been beaten badly before.

"...no, no, no, no, no, no, no,..." Ed was still repeated the word as Roy went down to his knees to meet the blond.

"E-Ed," Roy said, that was the only thing he thought he could say. He hesitantly placed a hand on Ed's back and Ed's head shot up to glare at Roy.

"Ed, I'm sorry. I-"

"Shut up!" Ed yelled and made an attempt to run out of the room, but Roy was quick and grabbed Ed's arm.

"No, don't leave. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done what I did. But I can't let you leave like this. You might get hurt if you leave here this upset," Roy said and stood to walk in front of the teary-eyed blond. "Please, just stay until you've calmed down."

Ed nodded as Roy walked back over to the bed to grab Ed's shirt; he handed it to him and Ed snatched it out of his hands.

After Ed got his shirt back on, they went into the kitchen. Roy made Ed sit down at the table as he put some tea to brew. Ed sat with his head bowed and mind buzzing. Roy placed a mug of hot green tea in front of him and sat across from him.

"Ed, I..."

"How far?"

"What?"

"If I hadn't stopped you, how far would you've gone!?" Ed yelled. His gold eyes dangerously glared into Roy's contrasting onyx orbs.

"Ed...At first, I just wanted to scare you...But once it had started I couldn't stop...To be honest, if you hadn't stopped me, then I probably would have done something terrible and unforgivable to you..." Roy said slowly.

"Just wanted to scare me? How could you!? I've spent years getting rid of those demons and now you've brought them back," Ed said.

"W-what are you talking about?"

"I...Forget it, I'm going home," Ed said and stood up to leave. He mentally cursed himself for mentioning "his demons". Roy would never understand his past.

Roy didn't stop him when he heard the front door slam shut; Ed's jacket still laid on the back of the chair.

_'Great going, Roy. You sure screwed up this time,'_ Roy thought.

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**So thanks for reading and please review! I know the beginning was kind of hectic, but it'll get better as the chapters go on!**


	2. Hated Past and Secrets Revealed

**Chapter 2! Yay! So I'm hoping this chapter is better than the last. Personally I feel that it is, but I'll let you be the judge! With that said, please read and review! But no flames please. Oh and I need a favor, I don't like the title of this fic, so if anyone comes up with something more suitable than what I have, then please let me know. Also, if I've placed this fic in the wrong genre, please let me know too. Thank you!**

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_"S-stop..." he begged weakly. His mind was numb and near thoughtless from the drug he'd been slipped. Another effect of the drug was temporary paralysis. He couldn't think clearly, his voice was near muted, and his body refused to move, but he still tried to force thoughts to form and words to come out and struggle. None of that mattered though. No matter how hard he fought, he was still taken every time by the man who was supposed to protect him._

_"Please...don't," he pleaded in a faint voice as the naked man straddling his thin frame, smirked and shifted his position. The man lifted Ed's hips and pushe-_

_Beep. Beep. Beep. _Beep. Be-

His hands shook terribly as he hit the button on his alarm clock. His whole body shook from the dream, a dream he hadn't had in months. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, but it was cold in the room.

Golden rays of morning sunlight drifted in through the window. Slowly, he willed himself out of his bed and walked over to the window to look up at the sky for some comfort. The curtains were pulled back and he was wearing only his boxers. Little did he know, he was being watched.

"It's true. Wow, the girls are never going to believe this," Ed's neighbor said to herself as she captured a picture of the blond from her own window on her cellphone before leaving her house. She sent the picture to her best friend who sent it to two more friends and so on.

Ed didn't know that his well-kept secret would be the talk of the school as he left the house.

As he arrived at school thirty minutes after waking up, he noticed that everyone was whispering and pointing at him. He ignored it.

_'Probably just another one of their rumours about me. I swear, these people have nothing better to do,'_ Ed thought to himself as he started twisting his combination into the lock of his locker.

He was on the last digit when he was swung around and pushed forcefully against the wall of lockers. Five seniors surrounded him. He recognized them, though he wasn't too sure on their names. He did know that they were all football players and could probably knock his head off his shoulders with one swing.

One of the players had his hand pressed against Ed's left shoulder to keep him pinned. Ed looked around and noticed that just about every student had gathered around to watch.

"Let go of me!" Ed yelled.

"We want to see it. Take your jacket off," the player holding him ordered.

"Hell no!"

"Fine then, I'll take it off for you. Grab him boys," the player said and Ed was immediately grabbed by the other four players.

Unfortunately, there were no teachers or supervisors around. They were all on the other side of the building in the teacher's lounge drinking coffee and reading the newspaper and discussing lessons with each other. No, here...it was just students and no one was on Ed's side.

It didn't take long for them to remove the jacket, but they were rather disappointed to find that Ed was wearing a long-sleeved shirt underneath. Their disappointment was chased away with the urge to see what was underneath. Though Ed struggled, it only took them mere seconds to have the shirt ripped off revealing Ed's secret of a metal arm.

The hallway went silent and still as everyone gawked at the small teenager. A few of them even took out their cellphones to take pictures. Automail was something of a rarity nowadays, well, unless you could afford it.

Anger was starting to boil up inside him. He couldn't take it. He'd fought so hard to keep this away from people. He didn't want to be humiliated like this. He brought his hands out and prepared to give them another shock. Alchemy.

As he brought his hands closer together with every intent on teaching these punks a lesson, he was stopped. The same guy who had grabbed him before had a hold of his prosthetic arm.

Someone in the back of the crowd yelled out, "Twenty bucks to the first person who can rip it out!"

The guy holding him started laughing as his cronies held Ed securely against the lockers. He started to pull on the arm with a surprising amount of force. Ed gritted his teeth as he could feel the nerves connected to the mechanism starting to pull. He tried to get himself to fight back, to kick him or something, but his body refused to listen to his mind.

He was going to get an earful from Winry when he got home; she had stayed home sick. Her automail mustn't have been made with the intentions that it'd be pulled on like this as he started to feel it give way.

He screamed out in agony as majority of the nerves disconnected. His breathing staggered and he wanted so badly to go into the darkness that was beckoning to him.

They stopped when they realized that they had gone to far. His automail arm was now attached by only a few wires, but the main socket had been displaced. None of them had known how painful it was to have automail connected or disconnected to a person.

Ed couldn't take the pain anymore as his eyes rolled back and he gave in to the welcoming folds of darkness. He started to fall, none of them were holding him anymore, but just before he hit the ground, someone caught him.

"You idiots!" Roy screeched as he held the limp body in his arms. He would've said more, but he didn't feel that he had the time. He turned his attention to Ed; he placed his hand on the boy's cheek and rubbed gently. "Hey, Ed. Ed, wake up. C'mon Ed, wake up," Roy said softly, hoping words would restore the boy's consciousness. Everyone was silent and taking in every detail of the event. Roy Mustang was the last person anyone thought would be this compassionate towards someone like Ed.

Roy rose to his feet holding Ed bridal-style. He turned to the guy responsible and if eyes could kill...

"I'll tend to you later," Roy seethed at the football player and shoved passed him. Everyone parted to let Roy through, a look of shame was worn on everyone's face as they saw Ed and knew that they should've stepped in before this had happened.

There was no point in getting any teachers involved, they would be on their precious football player's side. With that knowledge, Roy decided it'd be best to go back to his apartment with the small blond. He gently placed him in the passenger side of his car and left the school.

Once in his apartment, he carried Ed into his room and gently laid him on his bed. He looked at the damage that had been done. He didn't know anything about automail, but he hoped that it could be easily fixed.

Roy took the chair from his desk and pulled up next to the bed to wait for Ed to wake up. He didn't sit there long before a pained moan announced that he had regained consciousness.

"Wha- Where am I?" Ed asked as he looked around confusingly and then realized where he was.

"Are you okay?" Roy asked and stood over Ed's body, his chest bare.

Ed sat up and looked at his arm. "Shit, this is gonna hurt," Ed groaned and placed his other hand on the metal.

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing? I'm going to pop it back in. You might want to cover your ears," Ed warned as he pushed it back into place, the mechanism automatically reconnecting with the nerves. Ed screamed out, his eyes screwed shut but a tear ran past his lid. He grunted as he tried to adjust to the pain, biting down hard on his lip. Again, he went out cold. The pain was just something he'd never gotten used to.

Roy sat and waited for a solid hour before Ed came to again. Slowly Ed sat up in the bed and looked at Roy.

"Hello there. Gonna pass out again?" Roy asked jokingly.

"I hope not. Damn bastards. They're lucky I didn't clap my hands," Ed spat and realized what he said.

"Clap your hands?"

"Um...Nothing. Forget I said that..."

Roy shrugged.

A silence nestled between them, and after a few minutes, Ed couldn't take it anymore.

"Roy...why did...why did you help me?" he asked.

"It felt like the right thing to do," Roy replied simply. "Now I have a question for you, how did you lose your arm and leg?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Pft! Try me. C'mon please tell me! Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone else or anything like that. I really want to know about you. You've peaked my interest," Roy said and Ed sighed in defeat.

"Fine, if you must know...When I was a kid, my father left us. My mother fell ill and died, leaving just me and my younger brother, Alphonse," his faltered over the name. "We were left alone. We needed her back, so we turned to alchemy."

"Alchemy!? But-"

"Shh! Let me finish! We learned alchemy from old books. It turned out that our father had been an alchemist and had stored numerous books on the subject. Once we were sure we had learned everything about it, we attempted the forbidden. Human transmutation. We were desperate to get her back. It was the only way, but you can't bring the dead back to life. That night, during the transmutation, I gave up my leg and my brother gave up his entire body. In a desperate attempt to save my brother, I gave up my arm to try to save his soul, but..." he couldn't bring himself to say what happened next, what happened to Alphonse. Luckily, he didn't have to, Roy seemed to understand more than Ed would've thought.

"It didn't work, did it? Your brother, Alphonse, died," Roy said and Ed nodded. "Please, tell me more."

"I almost died that night from blood loss. How I made it to see morning, I don't know, but I was found unconscious in my house. By who, I don't know. The State never knew that me and my brother had been by ourselves with no parents or guardians around, so they fitted me for automail and placed me in an orphanage. I was adopted not long after being placed there," Ed said and Roy figured he was thoughtlessly talking. The words of his past were just freely falling off his tongue. "The man who took me in was kind at first, but one night, he came into my room while I was asleep. He tried to touch me, but I fought him off. The next night, he slipped something in my food. I couldn't think straight, I could barely talk, could barely move. He brought me up to his room and laid me on his bed. That night something precious was stolen from me, but it wasn't just that night. No, every night for the next three years he'd touch me and beat me. Any time I'd try to run away or fight him, he'd beat me with his belt or what ever was closest to him."

_'This isn't good. He's just talking now for sure. He probably doesn't even know what all he's saying,'_ Roy thought.

"One day I tried to kill myself. I was beyond broken. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. My attempt was failed when he busted into my room as I was trying to climb atop a chair with a makeshift noose around my neck, the cuts on my wrist dripped blood on the floor. He took me down and said he wouldn't let me taste death, but he'd give me a sip of it. He invited some of his buddies over and they took turns with me, beating and fucking me. When they were done, I had to be taken to a hospital and put in the ICU. The bastard ditched me there and left me for the State to take care of. The State found out that my parents had been great friends with the Rockbells and I was sent to live there. I've actually been here in Central for two years before being enrolled in the school. I spent those two years in therapy fighting to keep my sanity."

This was more than Roy could handle. Knowing that a someone had done something like this to another person, espcially a child, was sickening. Ed had seen Hell, no, he'd lived there, but all that was going to change. Roy was going to make sure of that.

At this moment, Ed snapped out of his daze realizing what all he had just told Roy and mentally every image of his past formed vividly in his mind with a flash. His eyes stung and pain filled his mind and body. A flood of tears fell from his eyes as his body trembled.

Acting on impulse, Roy left the chair and sat next to Ed on the bed. He wrapped his arms around the distressed teen and let him cry on his shoulder.

_'Cry all you want, Ed. I'm here,'_ he thought as he soothingly ran his hand on Ed's bare, scared back.

He wasn't sure when the blond's trembling and sobs had ceased, but he slowly pulled Ed away from him and smiled; he was asleep. He lowered him down on his back and left the room to let Ed sleep in peace.

Roy sat at the kitchen table with a mug of hot coffee in his hands though he hadn't drank even a sip yet; he was deep in thought. He thought over everything Ed told him, but the part with his foster father...Roy's grip on the mug he held tightened as he thought about he had done to Ed, who was only a child at the time.

He'd been thinking about Ed's past for two hours now, the mug of coffee in his hands now cold.

_'Death, alchemy, rape, torture, attempted suicide, therapy. It's a wonder he's even alive. I can't even imagine what he's been through. He must've been so lonely for so long. I swear I'm going to change that. He will never be alone ever again. I'll be there for him,' _Roy thought and knew that this was going to have to be a promise he actually kept.

At the sound of shuffling feet, Roy turned his attention to the shirtless blond who'd just entered the kitchen. Ed sat down across from Roy at the table and seemed to look a bit embarrassed.

"Sleep well?" Roy asked.

"Yes," Ed replied softly.

"Say Ed, you said you could use alchemy. I'd have to see that to believe it!" Roy said, trying to lighten the mood. He smiled when he saw Ed's face brighten at the mention of alchemy. For Ed, alchemy seemed to hold more happy memories than sad.

"You're in for a treat then," Ed said with a wink and stood up.

Roy watched intently as Ed grinned and clapped his hands. A blue spark formed over Ed's automail and once is disappeared his arm had been transformed into blade.

Roy's jaw dropped.

"Wh-what!? No way! I thought this was going to be some kind of a joke, but you can use alchemy! Alchemy died out centuries ago! What else can you do?" Roy asked and Ed began a display of his skill by changing items in the kitchen into other things and then changing them back into their original form.

After a few minutes, Ed sat down again and looked at Roy who had his mouth gaped open like an idiot.

"That was amazing," Roy managed to say. "I've never seen anything like that. They always told us that alchemy never existed, that it was a fairy tale that alchemy use to run this world."

"It's true. Alchemy did run this world back then. When I was learning alchemy as a kid, I read that alchemy was what people relied on. There was even a special part in the military of people trained in alchemy called State Alchemists. At some point in time, a great war broke out and people turned to alchemy to kill each other, but that wasn't the only thing they used alchemy for during the war. Someone got the bright idea of using alchemy to bring back their fallen soldiers to replenish the troops. I'm not sure what happened exactly, but all hell broke loose. After the war, the Fuhrer got some law passed forbidding the use of alchemy. The State Alchemists were dismissed from their duties and anyone caught or suspected of using alchemy was executed. The only reason that same law isn't still in place today is because alchemy died out years ago and was forgotten, only to be used in children's bedtime stories," Ed said, showboating his knowledge of the subject.

"This is fascinating, Ed. I mean, before you came up I didn't believe in alchemy at all, but now, well, this is just amazing!" Roy said with a great smile adorning his face. "Hmm, but why didn't you use alchemy to fight back against those guys earlier today at school?"

"I was going to, but before I could clap, he grabbed me. Besides, that'd just be adding fuel to the fire if I had used alchemy then. Them knowing my limbs are metal is all they need to know," Ed said with a sigh.

"Are you going to let them beat you?"

"Huh?"

"Listen, tomorrow at school, I want you to show up with your automail arm showing. No long sleeves, no jacket. The secret's out anyway, so you might as well. Also, it'll show them that they haven't beaten you down for what they did today," Roy said.

"But..." Ed tried to protest the idea, but Roy interrupted him.

"You're still my slave for the week, so you still have to do what I tell you to do and I'm ordering you to wear short sleeves tomorrow at school," Roy said and Ed frowned. "Don't worry, I'm not going to let them hurt you or anything. I'll stand up for you. Besides, after what happened today and what I'm going to do to that bastard, I don't think anyone will mess with you."

Ed smiled. It was strange to feel the table slowly turning in his favor for once!

_'Shame on me. It seems I've judged too quickly. Roy's not at all who I thought he was, well, he is a little, but that's not the point! Anyways, tomorrow should be interesting,'_ Ed thought to himself.

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**So that was chapter 2, thanks for reading! Please review!**


	3. Revenge

**Chaper 3! Woot! I'm sorry. I know some people don't like for Ed to be tortured and all that depressing stuff, but I can't help it. I love vulnerable, beaten Ed. Yeah, I know I'm weird. But whatever. This chapter features some of that, but it gets better. As of right now, this is the last chapter that will feature Ed like this. The following chapters will be better as far as mood goes! And this is a RoyxEd, if you haven't guessed that already. If you don't like that pairing or are against it (malexmale) entirely, then stop reading now! Anyways, so please read and review! No flames though. Thank you!**

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"Edward Elric!" Winry yelled as she ran up to him later that afternoon. He wasn't even completely in the house yet before she grabbed his automail arm to examine it and sighed.

"Damn it, some of the wires are busted, but it still functions, but we need to get it fixed completely. Don't want a mechanical infection to start," Winry said, more to herself than to Ed, and started to drag Ed toward her special torture chamber.

Apparently, one of her friends had recorded a video of the day's incident on her cell and sent it to Winry. Needless to say, she wasn't too happy...

Ed didn't fight though as he walked with Winry to her torture chamber. He hated that place. Her automail room. She made him lay down on the operating table. He hated that table.

Though Winry and her grandmother were expert mechanics who specialized in automail, Ed was their only test subject. Not only was automail an expensive operation, but who would trust their lives in the hands of an old woman and her teenage niece? Due to the lack of automail business, the Rockbells had to move to something else, so they started doing other mechanic stuff like cars.

_'Please don't pass out again today! Please don't pass out again today!' _Ed mentally repeated over and over as Winry tinkered with some of the damaged wires in his arm. The phrase didn't work so well. As soon as Winry began to remove the wires, which were partially connected to the nerves, Ed went out...again. But that wasn't a bad thing, Winry preferred people to be unconscious when she worked on their automail, so she continued.

He came to an hour later in a haze. His body ached from the amount of pained it had sustained through out the day. It was just one of those days...

"Ed, you can't let people do that to you. Why didn't you stand up for yourself and fight back?" Winry asked and his gaze went to her; she was sitting on a chair next to him, much like how Roy had done with him earlier. He saw that she had her cellphone out and he could hear his scream come from the speaker, she was watching the clip from today. She flipped her cell shut and looked at him.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say.

"You know, it's not against the law for someone to fight back in self-defense."

"But it is against the law to kill someone. I was going to use alchemy, Winry. If I had gone through with it, they'd be maimed or dead. I had to take it. Besides, it was unfair anyway...Four against one," Ed spat.

"Admit it, Ed. If Roy hadn't been there-"

"Pft. Asshole should've stayed out of it and minded his own business," Ed said, but inwardly he was very thankful that Roy had saved him like that.

"Go on acting all tough. It's not against the law to be weak at times and have to rely on others," Winry said and left the room.

She was right, of course. Ed sighed as he jumped down from the table and swung his automail arm experimentally. Much better!

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The next day was very interesting as Ed did what Roy had told him to and ditched his normal motif. He opted for a pair of jeans and a plain black fitted shirt with short sleeves. His automail shimmered from the sunlight bouncing off of it as he walked to school with Winry next to him.

As he walked in the halls, Winry having split off to go join her group of girls, several people walked up to him and apologized for not doing something yesterday. It was strange to be able to see his metal arm instead of the sleeve of a jacket and glove as he started undoing the lock on his locker.

"Glad to see you know how to listen," Roy said, he was propped up against the locker next to Ed.

"Good morning to you too," Ed said trying to sound mad, but that act failed as a smile crept on his lips.

"I have some good news for you, but it's bad news for me though. I found out that those football players got suspended and kicked off the team as soon as the principal was shown the video from someone's cellphone. Also, right after the principal found out, he called the entire school into the assembly room for a meeting on the matter. Trust me, no one's going to bother you anymore."

"Well how's that bad news for you?"

"Because now I have to make a home visit to punch that bastard's face in for what he did. I don't see how people can be so stupid and thoughtless," Roy seethed as he followed Ed down the hallway.

In the hallway, everyone's eyes were on the automail arm which yesterday hung useless from the boy's shoulder. As they looked, everyone turned to the next to them whisper about it. Apparently they thought Ed was deaf.

"Hey, Roy-" Ed went to say something, but a loud voice cut through the air through the PA system.

"Edward Elric and Roy Mustang to the principal's office," the secretary in the front office called.

Ed and Roy looked at each other and went there as they were instructed. When they entered the principal's office, the four ex-football players were there. They stood up from there seats and each one walked in front of Ed and apologized, shaking his cold metal hand. They left, leaving Ed and Roy with the principal.

"First off, I assure you, Mr. Elric, that their deeds have not gone unnoticed. Their parents assured me that their sons were to be punished at home. Here in the school, they've been removed from their athletic teams and other organizations and have been suspended for a week's time. After finding out about the events that had taken place, I called an assembly together and discussed it with the other students. Are you okay with this, Mr. Elric?" the principal asked. He was an elderly gentleman in his early to mid sixties with grey hair and a wrinkled face.

"Yes, sir," Ed said, even though Roy had already told him about it, he still had to act surprised and whatnot.

"And as for you, Mr. Mustang, I'd like to commend you for your actions in all of this. It's good to know that there is at least one person in this school who isn't a coward and will stand up for others. You should be very thankful, Mr. Elric."

"I am, sir," Ed said.

"Good then, you're both dismissed. If anymore problems arise, please come to me about it," the principal said and they left.

As they walked down the hall to head to their first hour classes, Roy turned to Ed and asked, "Is that true?"

"Huh?"

"Are you thankful that I was around?" Roy asked, his gaze straight ahead now staring down the bare hallway, the bell having long since rang.

"Yes, actually..." Ed replied though he hated having to admit he had to rely on someone else. Roy wrapped his arm around Ed's shoulder and squeezed him against his body for a second. Ed felt his face get hot and was sure he was blushing furiously.

"Good," was all Roy said before they split ways to go to their separate classes.

Roy sat in his class. His eyes looked out the window and he didn't hear a thing the teacher was saying on logarithmic spirals. He looked down at his blank paper, it was suppose to be filled with notes by now, but he couldn't think about anything except...

_'Ed...'_ he thought. He scribbled the name on the paper and wondered why he had done that. How was it possible that a person could come to care so much for someone else who he'd only just noticed? How long had he known Ed now? Not even a week. Sure he'd always known the small blond freak of the school, but he'd never actually known him until only a few days ago. He wondered if after this week was up, if Ed would still come around him. After the deal was over, would there even be reason for them to be around each other?

He thought about the events of the past few days and his hand wrote them down on the paper as he thought.

_'Last Wednesday: he came to me, we made a deal. Last Friday: went on a date with Winry. Monday: Ed came over to my apartment, I touched him, found out about his automail, he went into hysterics. Tuesday: saved Ed from the football players, took him to my place, he fixed his automail, told me presumably everything about his past, showed me his alchemy. Wednesday: Ed showed up to school with his automail showing just like I wanted him to do, we got called to the principal's office, I realized my feelings for him, and..._' He stopped writing. _'Wait, what!? My feelings for him? What feelings!? Oh no, this can't be happening. I'm falling for...No, don't say it! It'll only make it true. I can't be falling for him. There's no way. Oh, I don't feel so well now,'_ Roy thought and decided he should sign out for the day and go home.

He laid in his bed and tried to sleep, but his mind was restless. He couldn't stop thinking about Ed, the short, blond, younger, cocky, short tempered alchemist.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he was able to close his eyes and drift off into a deep sleep, but his mind was still fixated on tormenting him by placing Ed in his dreams.

The last bell of the day rang and Ed left the building only to find that Roy nor Roy's car was anywhere in sight. Winry had left to go with her friends which left Ed walking home alone, not that he minded too much.

He walked with his hands buried deep in his pockets and looking ahead wondering if he should stop by Roy's or not. If only he knew what was coming up next...

Before he could react, someone hit him hard on the back of his head and grabbed him, pulling him into a dark nearby alley in a confusing daze. At the end of the alley was an old, abandoned shed that he was thrown into. His attackers pounced on him and soon had him restrained by handcuffs to a bar on the wall; his arms were pinned high above his head.

As he came out of his dazed state, he tried to struggle out of his restraints, but it was hopeless. He couldn't even get his hands close enough to clap and use alchemy to get away and he had no way to draw a transmutation circle either.

"Well, hello," the guy said grabbing a handful of Ed's gold locks and wrenching his head back.

"Let me go, you bastard," Ed said to his attacker. He counted five of them all together. He only knew the name of the person holding him, the one who had ripped out his automail yesterday. Zolf Kimblee. Being in football had put a substantial amount of muscle on him; he used to be a scrawny person until he joined the team, or so Ed had heard.

"I don't think I like your tone too much," Zolf said as he ran his fist into Ed's gut making him gag. "You got lucky yesterday, but Roy isn't around to save you today. You made us look like fools and now it's time for your punishment."

With that said, they commenced in beating Ed. At first, he yelped a little, but then his body and mind went on shutdown as it did when his foster father would beat him. He'd gotten worse beatings from that bastard than he was getting now from these punks.

When they backed off, Ed raised his head and smiled. That probably was not the smartest thing to do as he got a strong right from Zolf to his jaw. Being Ed, he raised his bruised face again and smiled.

"Why you little bastard!" Zolf yelled as he pushed Ed against the wall he was restrained to, his hands wrapped tightly around his neck.

Ed shut his eyes and fought against every urge to fight back. He knew, or he was pretty sure..., that they wouldn't kill him and he wasn't about to start begging.

Frustrated, Zolf squeezed even tighter and Ed couldn't get even the smallest bit of air to his lungs. His mind went dizzy and he could faintly hear the others telling Zolf to let go him. His mind shut off and he passed out from lack of oxygen. That was when Zolf let go. The only thing holding him up were the handcuffs around his wrists.

He woke up later, he wasn't sure how long he'd been out, on the floor. They had let him go before they left which was good for Ed. Ed's body ached all over and bruises littered his body though. He got to his feet and staggered out of the alley. Dusk was starting to fall over the lands.

He could hardly breathe. He had taken quite the beating from them and it'd been a few years since the last time he'd been hit like that. He didn't think he'd be able to make it all the way home, so he made his way to Roy's door in a swaying stagger.

Roy opened the door and caught Ed as he fell into his arms unconscious.

"Ed!" he yelled, but got no response. This was starting to become something of a habit; Ed'd pass out and Roy would be there to place him in his bed until he woke up.

Roy did that, placed him in his bed. He looked at the bruised, beaten body and knew exactly who had done it. He left his apartment to track Zolf Kimblee down.

He was fairly certain he knew where he could find Zolf. He went to the park, and sure enough he was there smoking cigarettes and drinking beer with his buddies.

"Well, well, well. Look who's here, boys. If it isn't the shrimp's savior, Roy Mustang," Zolf said as he walked up close to Roy.

Roy's black eyes turned otherworldly with anger as he ran his fist into Zolf's jaw causing him to stumble back a few steps.

"I'm here to make a deal with you, Kimblee. A fight, one-on-one, I win and you and your buddies leave Ed alone," Roy said.

"And if I win?"

"Then you can do whatever you want to me," Roy said and knew exactly what all that entailed to someone like Zolf Kimblee.

"You've got yourself a deal. I'm kind of surprised that you'd go through all this trouble for that freak. It's almost as if you're a couple or something," Zolf said.

"Shut up. First person knocked out loses and no outside help either. It's just you and me," Roy said and the fight began.

Though Kimblee had more strength behind his punches than Roy did, Roy had speed and a decent amount of strength. He didn't life weights or anything like Kimblee did, but Roy saw that he had the upper hand in this. As a kid he was determined to become a champion boxer and spent three years boxing. He knew how to throw a strong punch, even though he wasn't near as strong as his opponent, and he knew how to dodge punches too.

About five minutes into the fight, Kimblee swung, Roy dodged and swung his own. He felt the bones in Kimblee's nose crack under his knuckles, but he didn't stop as he swung his left fist to land on his cheek. The fight was over as Kimblee fell on his back unconscious.

"We had a deal. Stay the fuck away from Edward Elric," Roy yelled to the others as they crowded over Zolf. He left the park with only a bruise gracing his cheek.

He walked into his apartment and was immediately greeted by the alchemist.

"Roy, where have you been? Your face...You didn't!" Ed gasped.

"I did. They won't be bothering you anymore," Roy said as he hung his jacket on the coat rack.

"B-but are you okay?" Ed asked.

"Are you?"

"I'm fine. I've had worse."

"Then I'm fine too," Roy said with a smile and walked up to Ed to ruffle his hair. "Y'know, you're a real handful for someone so small," Roy said jokingly.

Normally, Ed would've yelled out a few inappropriate words at the mention of his short height, but for some reason, that didn't happened. He just smiled and laughed at Roy's joke.

"This deal we have going, I think I was cheated on it," Roy said.

"How so?"

"Well, you're supposed to be doing what I tell you to do and so far all I've done is save your ass multiple times. You owe me now," Roy replied. They were still standing by the front door.

"And how do you want me to repay you?" Ed asked.

"Kiss me."

Ed was surprised by the answer and stood with his mouth open in a dumbfounded gesture. He didn't move or protest as Roy leaned down slightly to softly capture Ed's lips with his. He brought his hand to the back of Ed's neck to deepen the kiss, his other hand rested on the small of Ed's back.

The times in his past when Ed had been kissed before were not particularly enjoyable, but this was something completely new. Before this, the kisses that had been forced on him were harsh and possessive, but this was sweet and passionate. He closed his eyes and gave in completely by kissing back.

Roy broke the kiss and stared lovingly into Ed's eyes. He brought his right hand up to cup Ed's cheek and he smiled.

_'Ed, I think I really am falling for you,'_ Roy thought. He wanted to tell that to him, but he wasn't sure if the feelings were mutual, so he kept it to himself.

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**Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Please review!** **Oh and please don't bring up anything about Zolf being in this, about his character or anything. I just chose a bad guy from the anime at random. Anyways, thanks for reading! Please review!**


	4. School Equals Drama

**Yay! It's chapter 3! There's nothing special you need to know for this chapter, but I'd like to know something. I'm thinking about upping the rating on this from T to M for future reasons. I'm sure you can guess what'll happen if I do change the rating, but I want to know if this is what you as the readers want. Yes or no to rated M? Or should this be kept T? Thanks and like always, please read and review!**

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Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Be-

From under the covers, a long arm stretched out to hit the button on the alarm. Ed sat up in his bed and wondered if today would be the first day he'd have a normal day all week. Monday had been awkward with the incident of Roy touching him. Tuesday had been painful with Zolf and his gang ripping out his automail arm. Wednesday had been double painful as Zolf and his gang had beaten him relentlessly, but Roy took care of it and they kissed...Oh, that kiss.

Ed put his flesh fingers to his lips and felt his face grow hot as the image formed vividly in his mind. He closed his eyes and could almost feel Roy's lips on his, but in reality it was his fingers he was feeling.

_'What's gotten into me? Damn you, Roy Mustang!'_ Ed thought as he opened eyes.

He sighed and decided he should start getting ready for school now if he didn't want to be late.

Ed got to school just as the first bell was ringing. He scurried through the halls and barely beat the tardy bell to his first hour class.

1ST 7:50-8:45 Algebra 2

He propped his head in his right hand as his left loosely held onto a pencil. His amber eyes gazed out the window and his mind left the room. He couldn't stop thinking about him, about that damn Roy. But he was kinda freaked out by it, by his constant thoughts.

_'Why am I thinking so much about him!? What does it mean? Ever since Monday that bastards been on my mind. He-'_

"Mr. Elric?" a long pause. "Mr. Elric!?"

"Errr, ma'am?" Ed asked, his mind returning to him.

"Mr. Elric, it appears that my teachings bore you so much that you can't concentrate or is it that you're ahead of the class. I'd like to know which, so tell me what the quadratic formula is, if you please," Ed's algebra teacher said as she folded her arms across her chest and her blue eyes challenged Ed.

"Well, the quadratic formula is...negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac all over 2a," Ed replied with a smirk.

"Incorrect," the teacher said.

"What!?" Ed asked in disbelief. He was positive that that was the quadratic formula.

"I believe it is...wait for it...oh yes, _x equals_ negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac all over 2a. So it seems that you _aren't _ahead of the class, so might I suggest that you start paying attention," the teacher said. Ed hated how she talked to her students, well...it wasn't all of her students, mainly just him...he tend did give her a hard time...

Ed muttered a short curse under his breath and returned his gaze to what was outside of the window.

A short while later, the bell rang and all the students began transferring to the next class.

2ND 8:48-9:43 Fine Art Survey

This possibly one of the most boring classes Ed had ever sat through. The teacher, a bald old man, was severely monotone and liked to repeat phrases several times before continuing. Ed had a great appreciation for the great composers and painters of the past, but the way this guy taught made him want to shoot himself. So, he did what he always did in this class.

He slept the hour away as another bell cut through the air. Time to go to the next class.

3RD 9:46-10:41 Biology

This was one of his favorite classes and the only one he never slept or day dreamed in. He loved science, though he would've preferred if this was chemistry instead of biology, but he'd have to wait until next year before he could take chemistry. One of the reasons why he loved this class so much was because he already knew a lot about biology from having learned alchemy, so he got to showboat his knowledge often.

But, little did he know, today they had a test and Ed knew nothing about it. He was supposed to study beforehand, but he'd been going to Roy's everyday after school and there had been no time.

As he looked at the multiple-choice test on arthropod in front of him, he desperately searched for some question he could answer. Nothing.

_'What the hell is parthenogenesis!? How am I supposed to know how many eggs a bug lays? What kind of questions are these!? Once again, damn you Roy Mustang! Damn you for keeping my mind so preoccupied that I couldn't pay attention in class, and damn you for keeping me at your apartment for hours on end! Damn you!!'_ Ed thought and sighed. _'Well, good thing I have a twenty-five percent chance of getting it right. This is where that old phrase comes in handy, "When in doubt, C your way out."'_

Ed sighed once more and began bubbling in all the C answers on the test. When he was finished, he turned in his test to the teacher. She looked at it and noticed the straight line of filled in answers on the ScanTron sheet; she frowned.

"Ed, I'd like to talk with you after class," she whispered and he nodded, returning to his desk.

The bell rang loud throughout the school and all the students in the class left to go to lunch except for Ed.

"Now, Edward, what's wrong with you?" the teacher asked in a concerned voice. "You're usually such a good student in this class and just this week I've noticed a big change in your behaviour. Is everything alright at home?"

"Everything's fine, ma'am. Really, it is. I just haven't been feeling all too well this week," Ed lied.

"Are you sure that everything's fine? You know, I might be your teacher, but that doesn't mean I can't be your friend too. You can come talk to me about anything that's troubling you and I'll help you out as best I can. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," Ed said and the teacher waved her hand to dismiss him. As he walked downstairs to go to the courtyard, he wondered if he should've told her what was really on his mind. What would she think if he were to tell her that a _guy _was on his mind? Well, he could always just replace guy with girl. Hmmm...He shrugged the thought off.

Lunch

Staying at Roy's place everyday was starting to take it's toll on his schoolwork. There were only two classes he cared about and he was going down in one and was about to go down in the other. He laid on his back on a bench and started to catchup on the novel they'd been assigned to read at home for his English class. He was a good ten pages behind and he heard from other classes that the teacher was giving a pop quiz on the book today.

It didn't take him long to read the ten pages; he was a fast reader and the book was surprisingly interesting. He sat up and placed the book back in his messenger-style bag and took out a box of Pocky. He pulled the top back and frowned, one stick left. He shrugged as he took it out and placed the end in his mouth. Normally, he would've had to fight Winry for the last piece, but she was off in the cafeteria with her group of girl friends.

He looked ahead and surely, he was coming. Roy walked up to him and smiled.

"Hey, Ed. Hmmm, care to share your Pocky with a friend?" Roy asked and Ed threw the empty box at him. "No worries," Roy said as he moved his mouth to the other end of the stick that was in Ed's mouth. He pushed the snack into his mouth until his lips were touching Ed's. Once their lips had touched, he smiled as he bit off stick and broke it away, chewing it.

"Bastard," red-faced Ed muttered and Roy chuckled, swallowing the strawberry flavored snack. Ed looked around him to see if anyone saw the kiss; if anyone had been watching, they'd already turned around.

"Awww, Ed, you look so cute all embarrassed like this," Roy laughed.

_'What the hell? Is he flirting with me?'_ Ed asked himself. "Go away," Ed said.

"Why should I?" Roy asked.

"Because you're a bastard and damn you!" Ed said.

"Ouch, your words hurt, Ed," Roy mocked. He took Ed's words for a joke, because he didn't appear to be really angry or anything.

"I-"

Another bell cut through the air announcing that lunch was over and it was time to go to fourth hour.

"See 'ya after school, Ed," Roy called over his shoulder, walking away.

Ed shrugged and picked up his bag to go to class.

4TH 11:16-12:11 English

Well, just like he had heard everyone saying, the teacher was giving out a pop quiz. Good thing he read those pages at lunch!

He looked down at the paper and smirked. He knew all the answer.

When he was finished with the test, he turned it in and decided to get ahead of everyone else and started reading the novel some more.

The bell rang twenty minutes later.

5TH 12:14-1:09 PE

Today was going to be interesting in this class. He was going to participate for change. Before, he never showed up for PE or he'd just sit in the bleachers. For PE, they had to wear gym clothes which would have revealed his automail had he participated, but now that the secret was out, he could have a bit of fun. Today they were going to play dodgeball.

Dodgeball was a terrible game, well, for the _physically_ _challenged_ at least. All the fast and active guys would get on one team and all the overweight or slow guys would be on the other. It was a slaughter everytime.

Two team captains were pick, Ed being one of them. He had a plan already in motion. He was going to show that other team what losing felt like.

Ed picked all the "PE outcasts" for his team and the other team was composed of all the athletic guys. Before they started the game, Ed turned to his teammates.

"Guys, we're gonna win," he said and turned to face the other team, his automail mail limbs making him look very intimidating. The coach blew his whistle, the game started.

Ed was faster and stronger than the rest of his team and having artificial limbs that didn't tire out was a big advantage. Ed ran the width of the court. He'd save one of his players by catching the ball and throwing it back at the thrower with force that knocked his opponent down. After four of the opposing teams players had been called out, Ed's team starting getting interested and started to participate more. Some of them weren't as slow or weak as Ed would've thought, they'd just been pushed down in this class.

His team held all players and on the other team there were only two players left. Everyone watched in awe and disbelief as Ed passed the rubber ball he held to one of his teammates. He stepped back.

"Take 'em out," Ed said as he stepped aside and let his teammates fight the last battle. The match was over and his team started cheering for their victory. There was going to be more respect now for them, now that the coach and the other guys had seen their potential. Tomorrow was going to be dodgeball again, and Ed decided that he'd sit out and see how they'd fare without him now that he'd showed them that they could do it.

As he walked out of the locker room, several boys came up to him and started trying to talk him into joining the track team or basketball or some other sport. Ed declined and ran off as the bell rang.

6TH 1:12-2:07 History

History wasn't a bad class at all to sit through, it was a little boring, but Ed enjoyed looking at the teacher. She was a young, fresh-out-of-college brunet with a nice figure and Ed didn't mind at all coming to this class, though he hardly payed attention to what she was saying. But today...

He was looking at her, as was every student in the class, appearing to be paying attention when he actually wasn't until she said a single word that made him listen to her intently. That word was alchemy. Today they were going to talk about alchemy! Ed could barely contain himself as soon as she said that that was going to be today's lesson. The history of alchemy!

"Some historians believe that about three centuries ago, a magic known as alchemy-"

"Alchemy isn't magic. Alchemy is science," Ed said and realized he had just interrupted a teacher and spoke of alchemy.

"Oh, Edward, you know about this then?" she asked and every student's gaze turned on him.

"Um...Yes, Ma'am. Some things," he said and knew he had to say something else so that people wouldn't assume that he had practiced alchemy or anything. "My father use to tell me stories about alchemy and read me some books on it. He was a historian who believed in it," he lied and everyone seemed to buy into the lie. Oddly, it was okay for a historian to believe in the most taboo and unrealistic things, but not for everyday people.

"Well, would you like to share your knowledge? I don't mind any, and I'm sure the other students won't mind either," the teacher said sweetly.

"Yes, Ma'am...You see, alchemy is a science. It is the understanding of matter, breaking it down, and changing or transmuting it into something else by using what's called transmutation circles as medians," Ed said.

"These transmutation circles, do you know what they look like?" the teachers asked and Ed nodded. He stood from his desk and walked up to the front of the class. He walked up to the board and started drawing a basic circle, but he left it incomplete, not wanting to cause a transmutation. He stepped back and everyone looked a bit dumbfounded.

"It's incomplete," she noted.

"Yes, Ma'am, it has to be."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because, if completed, an alchemic reaction could occur," Ed said.

"So you believe in alchemy?"

"Um...err...," Ed wasn't sure what to say, but a little voice in the back of his mind told him to stand up for his beliefs, "Of course I do. Alchemy exists."

"And can you perform alchemy?"

Ed grimaced as he completed the circle on the board, he clapped his hands, blue sparks formed, and an ornate doorway formed when the circle had been.

"Yes, I can," Ed said and walked down the aisle of desk. He reached down to grab his bag and headed for the door. Before he stepped out, he said in a rather angry tone, "Alchemy exists. Alchemy isn't some magic or work of the devil. Alchemy is a science. I'm tired of hiding my secrets from you people who are so close-minded about everything. Yes, my arm and leg are automail and yes, I can perform alchemy. Hell, I lost my arm and leg because of alchemy. There's my story, so now, you can stop the rumours and attempts to get in on my life."

He wondered what provoked him to say that as he left the room of dumbfounded people. Was it the little voice in his head? He didn't know, but what's done is done.

As he walked down the hallway, the bell rang and students poured out of their classrooms to go into new ones.

_'One more class,'_ Ed thought as he walked into his last class of the day.

7TH 2:10-3:05 Geometry

As he sat in his desk, the teacher babbling about symmetry, Ed wondered what was in store for him now that people knew about his alchemy. He felt the stares on him and he heard the whispers. The news had spread about the entire school in only the time it took to get from one class to the other.

_'I might've just dug my own hole to bury myself in,'_ Ed thought. _'That was so stupid of me! I can't believe I did that, but at least now I don't have to hide anything from them anymore and they might even back off of me now. Hell, they might fear me now. But do I want them to fear me? No, I don't. I don't want to be feared, but...Ah! If only these people could understand alchemy and everything that it holds. If only they could understand me...'_

He sighed inwardly and propped his head on his metal arm and tried to forget the thoughts that plagued his mind. At least he wasn't constantly thinking about Roy now.

He tried to take in what the teacher was saying, but his mind was catching everything.

The final bell of the day rang and for a minute he thought about freedom and then remembered that he had to go meet Roy.

He spotted Roy with his group under a tree in front of the building and started walking over there, but stopped when he got close enough to listen in. He was had his back against a tree that was close to them, but not too close.

"Aww, come on, Roy! You haven't hung out with us in forever. You're too busy with that Ed kid," Riza Hawkeye said.

"After this week, he'll be gone. I can't stand him anymore. He's so temperamental and annoying and his automail freaks me out," Roy said.

"Why are you even hanging around him then? If he's your slave for the week, then just order him to suck you off and make him leave. You know as well as I do that that's the only reason you agreed to that deal of going out with that Winry chick," Maes Hughes said. Roy had apparently told his group about the deal; they probably laughed their asses off about that.

Ed stepped out from behind the tree and the group's attention went to him.

"Ed!" Roy gasped. He knew Ed had to have heard what all was said. He took a step forward, but Ed turned and ran.

_'That bastard! I thought he loved me. I was sure he did. The kisses. I thought I loved him too._ _Damn it, I'm crying now,' _Ed thought as he ran. He ran all the way home, up the stairs, and on his bed. He was heartbroken. He cried into his pillow pathetically. He'd never hurt like this before; it felt as if someone had stabbed him in his heart and twisted.

After a few minutes, his cries subsided into little sniffles and he stood from his bed. He walked over to the window and looked up at the cloudless, blue sky.

_'I hate him,'_ Ed thought.

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**So thanks for reading. Please review and please tell me if you'd like the rating to go up to M. Thanks!**


	5. Emotions Stir

**So I was thinking and you were so right HisokaYukiko, I did stop at a terrible point! I tend to do that too often in my stories. Hehe. But I fixed it! If I had kept writing in the last chapter, then this would it. So this chapter is like a second part, or continuation, of the last chapter. Oh, and this installment is very "emotionally abrupt" in that no one stays in one emotion for too long without changing to the complete opposite. And Roy uses Ed's name a lot in his dialogue, which I know can be kind of annoying, but whatever! And yes, the rating will be going up to M for the next chapter. Yay! And warning:this chapter does involve self-mutilation and bad language. So please read and review!! Thanks!**

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After a few minutes, his cries subsided into little sniffles and he stood from his bed. He walked over to the window and looked up at the cloudless, blue sky.

_'I hate him,'_ Ed thought.

Ed walked over to the full-length mirror that hung on the wall; he looked at himself and pure hatred and anger started to rise in him.

_'I've been so stupid trusting him. I should've learned by now not to trust anyone,'_ Ed thought and something in him snapped. _'I'm going to have to teach myself a lesson now. Never again will I trust or care for or think of.'_

He unbuttoned his shirt, letting it fall to the floor, as he walked over to the desk on the other side of the room. He rummaged through the drawers until he found it. He had only turned to this once, the scars on his wrist were evidence to his attempt of freedom. But this wasn't for freedom, this would be for punishment. He walked back over to the mirror and watched himself pull the knife three times across the span of skin of his shoulder. He chose that spot because he felt that cutting at the wrist would be going overboard, and he feared that he might end up doing something stupid on that delicate spot. He feared he might become addicted or carried away on his wrist and end up killing himself. He didn't want to die, not anymore, but he felt that he had to punish himself for his stupidity in trusting Roy Mustang.

He watched the blood trickle down his arm, the thick liquid tingling his skin as it trailed downward. He picked up the shirt he had been wearing from the floor and pressed it tightly against the cuts wincing as he did. The cuts weren't deep, so the bleeding didn't last long. He pulled the shirt away and cursed himself.

Sighing he went over to the small trash bin in his room and threw his blood-stained shirt in and placed his small pocket knife back in the drawer. He heard the telephone ringing and a few minutes later he heard soft footsteps walking towards his room. He hastily went to his closest and got out a long-sleeved, black button-up shirt. There was a knock on his door and it slowly opened as Winry popped her head in.

"Ed, Roy just called for you. He told me to tell you that he orders you to go to his apartment now," Winry said.

"Okay...thank you."

He had always been someone to keep his word and he was still Roy's slave for the week, so he left his house. As he walked slowly down the sidewalk in the direction of Roy's apartment, he made up his mind that he was going to give Roy what he wanted, the only thing that Ed seemed to be good for to anyone.

The door opened before he could walk and wordlessly, Roy let him in. As soon as the door was closed, Ed started unbuttoning his shirt and pulled it down letting it hang from his wrists.

"E-Ed, what are you doing?" Roy asked and then noticed the three red strips on his shoulder. "Ed! Your-"

"Shut up, Roy, and just fuck me," the blond said.

"W-what? No, Ed, I-"

"I said shut up and fuck me. That seems to be the only thing you want from me, so do it!" Ed said, his voice rising.

"Ed, please listen to me," Roy pleaded, stepping close to Ed. "What you heard today wasn't the truth. I didn't mean what I said."

"Then why did you say it? Why do you speak in constant lies?" Ed screeched, his eyes were starting to sting and body shake.

"Ed, those people I hang out with, they aren't my friends. I just told them what they wanted to hear; it's always been like that. I'm sorry, Ed. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it; I swear I didn't, Ed."

"But what Maes said...Is that the only reason you agreed to the deal, so that you could screw around with me?" Ed asked in a harsh whisper.

"No, Ed. I'm not going to lie and say that I never had thoughts about us doing such things together, but it was never in the way that Maes made it sound like. I do have thoughts about us, but not of us 'screwing' or 'fucking.' My thoughts are of us...making love. I love you, Ed." Roy said finally, placing his hand on Ed's forearms, one a harsh cold and the other a comforting warmth.

Ed was not expecting those words to come out, and he wondered if they were lies. He was so confused about this, but he couldn't deny his own feelings for Roy though he had buried them as best as he could in only a few hours.

He stood still as Roy tightly wrapped his arms around him.

"Ed, please, forgive me, please," Roy pleaded and Ed felt something wet slide down his back. Roy was...crying? "I didn't mean it, I swear I didn't. I never meant to hurt you, Ed. I'm sorry. Please, Ed, I love you."

_'He can't be lying now. There's no way he's lying. He's begging for forgiveness. Do I give it to him? He said that he loves me. Is it possible that that is just a lie? No, that can't be either. I felt it in his kiss. Hell, I feel it now as he's holding me. Damn, everything's so much harder when I'm around him,_' Ed thought and inwardly sighed.

Roy pulled back to look at Ed with teary, black eyes. His eyes went down to look at the cuts on Ed's shoulder, which were bleeding now from Roy holding him too tightly.

"C'mon, let's fix that," Roy said softly with a small sniffle. He took Ed's hand and brought him to the kitchen, made him sit down as Roy dug in one of the cabinets for the first aid kit.

He set the white box on the table and pulled out gauze and disinfectant wipes.

"Why did you do this to yourself?" Roy asked as he ran the wipe across the cuts causing Ed to wince.

"Punishment," the blond replied simply.

"Punishment for what?" Roy asked as he started wrapping the gauze around Ed's shoulder.

"For trusting you," he replied. He hated to say it, but that was why he did it.

Roy stopped what he doing and thought about it for a moment_._

"Ed, I'm sorry," Roy said for the hundredth time.

"I know."

"No, you don't. I'm sorry, Ed. You trusted me and I destroyed that. I should've never done something so stupid. You hurt yourself because I hurt you. It's my fault you did this to yourself. It's my fault you hurt. I'm sorry," Roy said, standing behind Ed.

"Roy, I forgive you," Ed said.

Roy placed his hand on the base of Ed's throat and moved it up causing Ed's head to go back. He leaned down and placed his lips soft on Ed's for a kiss. In the awkward position with his lips hovering over Ed's, he whispered the three words again, "I love you."

"Roy, I love you too," Ed whispered back. Roy was not expecting the same return of words. He let go of Ed's neck and stepped back, Ed's head going back up.

"Y-you do?" he asked in disbelief. He never thought that Ed would

"Yes. I don't know what else it could be if not love. You're constantly on my mind and I actually felt my heart break in half when I heard that conversation today after school. But more than that, it feels so strange when I think about you or see you or talk to you. Even now my heart's beating faster than normal and that strange feeling is flowing throughout my mind and body. At first I wasn't sure what it was that I was feeling, and I didn't think I had any place to say anything to you about it, but now I can say that I do love you. I'm sure of it," Ed said softly, his cheeks turning a pale pink color.

Roy smiled brightly and continued dressing Ed's self-inflicted cuts.

"And I thought I was going crazy for awhile there. I couldn't figure out how I'd fallen for someone in the course of only a few days. It hasn't even been a full week yet! So strange how love works," Roy said.

"I second that. Boy, this week has been the craziest week of my life!"

"Week's not over yet. One more day left and then you'll be free to go about your business. After tomorrow, we never met," Roy said.

"Is that how you want it?" Ed asked and turned in his chair to look at Roy.

"No, not at all. I want to be with you, but I assume that you after all that's happened this week that you wouldn't want to be near me anymore."

"Y'know, to assume just makes an ass out of you and me. I don't want to leave you, Roy. I've never felt this way about anyone ever before. I mean, we had our problems...like Monday when you tried to rape me and today when you said those things, but on Tuesday you saved me and on Wednesday you fought for me! And after what I today at school, I think I'm going to need you to save me somemore..."

"Wait...what trouble did you get into _this _time?" Roy asked.

"Um...I most certainly did _not_ use alchemy in front of my entire history class," Ed said and gave an unsure, childish smile.

Roy slapped his forehead and sighed deeply. He looked at Ed from between his fingers and said, "You're going to be such a pain."

"Hey, you don't have to put up with me, y'know," he said with a laugh and smile.

"Oh, but I want to if it means I get rewarded for saving you," Roy said and leaned down again to kiss Ed.

Just like the last time they kissed like this, Ed felt something wonderful. He could easily get used to this, these kisses. They were so "pure" and heartfelt, and Ed didn't have to worry about what would happen afterwards like he did when his foster father would kiss him. Ed could feel the love through the kiss, which was something he'd been starved of for a very long time. He'd been deprived of love and good-willed attention for a very long time, and now that he knew he had it he was going to do anything and everything in his power to keep it. He knew that he loved Roy Mustang more than anyone, and he smiled into the kiss as the thought passed his mind. For once he was happy.

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**So hope you enjoyed reading this! I know it's not the best thing in the world to read, this chapter particularly. For some reason I just can't get the emotion between two male characters right so that it seems realistic and not like a scene from a soap opera. That aside, thanks for reading and please review!**

**REVIEW PLEASE! PLEASE REVIEW! REVIEW PLEASE! PLEASE REVIEW!  
NO FLAMES!!  
HAHA!  
THANKS!!**

**Oh, and I do reply back to all reviews, just so you know!  
:)**


	6. From the Author

**Please read what I have to say before you move on to the next chapter.**

So there's a lot of points I'd like to bring up with you guys. I really, really, really appreciate all the reviews, favorite, alerts, author favorite, and author alerts! Speaking of reviews...Well, in several of them some points were brought that I either never thought about or there were suggestion and what have you. I figured we need to talk about these, because they do have an effect on the future of this fic. So first thing first...

Alchemy and a sequel:  
In a review from Taranova Xonson, she said, "I really like the concept of alchemy dying out...I'm interested to see what part Ed's abilities might have in this fic." As I read that, I was thought _Holy crap!_I did not think that through when I made alchemy die out, and really Ed's abilities weren't suppose to play any major part to the fic. Well, I have some good news! Due to the success of this fic, I am highly considering doing a sequel. It won't immediate, but I will most likely do one. I'm not sure whether it should start attached to this fic, or if it should start as a completely different story/document. Anyways, in the sequel, alchemy will play the main part throughout the entire thing (or so my thinking goes now).

Moving on.

The ridiculous speed of this fic:  
Yes, this fic is moving at a very fast speed. I hope when I read the reviews that stated this that they were referring to Ed and Roy's relationship progressing too quickly. I have a reason for this, well, on Ed's behalf anyway. As for Roy, well, he just falls too quickly. But anyways, the reason Ed is moving so faster is because of his past. Confused? I'll explain. While I was writing out Ed's parts, I was thinking of Al. Think about like this, Al was a little boy loving life, then he gets stuck in a suit of armor. Well, when Al returns to his original body, he becomes overwhelmed with being able to feel and whatnot. So he goes around feeling things, slowly remembering what cold and hot feels like and what soft and hard feels like. He eats again and takes deep breaths. And he only wants more. Well, I took that and made it into Ed. Ed was a little boy with the love of a mother and younger brother, then they both died. Ed was taken to live with a man who showed no love or compassion. He spends several years deprived of love, and he forgot what it felt like to love and be loved. When he gets out of that place and lives with the Rockbells, he gets some of that back, but it isn't enough. The love they give him isn't at all what he had before, until...he meets Roy. At first (Monday), Ed didn't care for Roy, especially after Roy listened to his body instead of mind that day. On Tuesday, however, Ed realizes that there's someone there who wants to fight for him. But when they first shared that passionate deep kiss (Wednesday, I believe), Ed wanted more. He felt something in that kiss, and he wanted more. What he felt, of course, was love which was something he'd been starved of for a very long time. So following after that kiss, Ed begins to realize that he's in love with Roy and that he wants more of him, he wants to love and be loved.

I hope that made sense. It did in my head...But yeah, so that's my excuse for the fast speed of this fic...Oh yeah, and also, if I would've taken my time with it, then I probably would've gotten bored and stopped updating. Better I push everything along and get it done, then take my time with the plot and stop updating.

Okay, so, moving on.

Wimpy:  
In a review from Techlynn, she review, "Maybe you could make Ed just a little less wimpy though. I have to say, I've never seen him more wimpier." Yes, I agree that I have made Ed a wimp, and I'm sure there are others reader who are thinking the same thing. Well, I have a reason for that too. From the anime (never read the manga), we all know Ed as short-tempered and fiery, I guess you could say. In this fic, however, due to Ed's past of living with that man, his fire died, so to speak. I'm not sure yet 'cause I'm writing this before I got to a certain part in the next chapter, but I might make it mentioned from Ed about it. If not, then here goes. Ed lived with a ruthless man, we all agree on that. Well, the first night that man tried to make his advances on little Ed, Ed fought him off, right? Well, I neglected to mention, but Ed fought against him many times in the beginning. However, he learned quickly from getting beaten and molested afterwards not to fight back. He was pushed down, in other words. And this carries on after he leaves that place. For instance, in Ch.2 when Ed gets to school and hears everyone whispering, he thinks, _'Probably just another one of their rumours about me. I swear, these people have nothing better to do.'_If this had been a part in the anime, Ed probably would've snapped back at the people and overreacted as he normally does. Throughout this fic, Ed puts up with a lot and just shrugs it all off because he thinks that if he fights back that he'll get beaten and what have you just like he did in his past. But I do have some good news about this "wimpy Ed" thing, if I do go ahead and do a sequel, then Ed's going to come out and be stronger. He won't lean on Roy so much, and hopefully, he'll reflect more like his anime self than in the former chapters of this fic.

And once again, hope that made sense. It did in my head...But yeah, so that's my excuse for the Ed being wimpy. And also, because I love wimpy, vulnerable, helpless Ed...Weird, much? I don't know why, but I like to make him so that someone can swoop in and save him, much like as I did in this fic between him and Roy. Anyways, I hope I can fix that in the sequel, but I make no promises about the speed problem...

So, I think that's all I wanted to say. Again, thank you so much for reading, submitting reviews, adding this fic to favorite and alerts, and adding me in favorites and alerts. I really appreciate it, and it means a lot to a writer who thinks she writes crap. But yeah, I hope this cleared up some things, and also, I'm not trying to sound mean or anything. I just forget that people can't read my mind and know what I was thinking when I wrote certain parts. Hehe. But yeah, so let me know what you think about the sequel. I've never done a sequel before. I already have a plot for it, so no worries there, but would I attach it to this fic or make it into a new one?

Oh well.

And because I'm so happy about the success of this fic, I really think I should thank all of you. So, here goes!

Reviews:  
Thanks for reviewing: DMHPluv, Pojo-san, chaos key, PURE'Curse, XxMissyxX, Paon, Ellia-chan, Ria Hikari, Autumn Silence, HisokaYukiko, Cross - The Damned Alchemist, merichuel, The WeyrWoman, Kitsune Tanaka, Jack-Sparrow5, Taranova Xonson, Techlynn, Hinata645, mrawgirl09

Favorites:  
Thanks for favoriting: Cross - The Damned Alchemist, Edinachan, Ellia-Chan, Hinata645, Jack-Sparrow5, PHOENIX-lovex, Pojo-san, Ria Hikari, Taranova Xonson, Techlynn, XxMissyxX, chaos key, heavensangelQ

I would list the people who adding this fic to alerts, but there's a lot...and I really need to be getting back to writing the final chapter! Oh yeah, about that, expect the next chapter (will be M rated!) either later this evening (Tues. 6/24) or some time tomorrow (Wed. 6/25).

Thanks everyone!!

:)


	7. I Promise

**Yay! It's the final chapter to this segment of _Slaving for the Past_! Yipee!! If you read what I posted earlier, then you know that there will most likely be a sequel. If you want to read the sequel, then be sure to add either me to your Author Alert or add this fic to your Story Alert thingy. So anyways, this is the longest chapter, and it is rated M for sexual content between two males. If it's not your thing, then stop reading now!! Well, anyways, please read and review! Thanks everyone!**

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The luminescence of the moon was overthrown by the dark clouds racing across the sky. With those black clouds came the hard downpour of rain accompanied by the violent booms and bright streaks across the darkness. Roy woke with a jolt, clutching his blanket tightly. His pulse was racing faster than ever from the sudden sound of thunder and the crack of lightning. He hated this type of weather. He spent the remainder of that night in his bed holding on tightly to his blanket with his eyes screwed shut and heart racing.

By sunrise, the thunder and lightning moved on leaving only a light rain. Roy moaned in protest as his alarm clock started beeping. He left his bed and started going through the morning ritual he partook in every morning to get ready for school.

His night had been terrible, and his day was starting to follow in the night's footsteps.

He opened his car door, the rain making wet dots on his clothes, and got inside. He found the right key, put it in the ignition, turned it, and was rewarded with the terrible prize of a sputtering engine instead of the normal purr.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath as he turned the key once more. "No, no, no, this can't be happening! Baby, please don't do this to me!"

He slammed his open palm on the top of the steering wheel and let loose a chain of highly inappropriate words. He knew that today was not going to be a good day. He was tired as hell, his car wouldn't start, it was raining, and the weather forecast announced that today the weather was only going to get worse.

He got out of his car, slamming the door shut which caused water to shoot off the car at him. He looked up at the raining sky and waited, as if the weather would miraculously clear up and the sun would come out just so he wouldn't have to walk to school in the rain. Because he rarely walked to school, he didn't have an umbrella for such occasions.

Roy pulled the hood of his jacket up over his head and dug his hands deep in his pockets as he started slowly walking down the sidewalk. As he was walking, he got a feeling that there was someone behind him. And sure enough, as he turned around, there his favorite blond was.

Edward and Winry were walking side by side, Ed holding an umbrella over their heads, more over Winry's than his own; such a gentleman.

Roy waited until the blond duo got closer.

"Good morning," Roy said to them.

"Hey, Winry, you go on ahead," Ed said, handing her the umbrella. She shrugged and started walking off, Ed and Roy following far behind her. "Not driving?"

"Nope, she decided to be difficult today and won't start," Roy replied sadly. He loved his car.

"Jeez, Roy, you look tired," Ed remarked.

"Yeah, didn't sleep much last night," Roy said and lowered his voice for what else he had to say, "but I know what'll make it all better."

He stopped Ed to cup his cheek in his hand. Slowly he lowered his lips onto Ed's for a kiss. As he pulled back, he laughed at seeing Ed's red face and his gold eyes looking around frantically to see if anyone had seen the display of affection.

"Knew that would work," Roy said, his voice now lighter and face brighter with a smile. He started walking ahead leaving Ed standing there.

"Hey! Now you just wait a minute!" Ed yelled as he ran up next to Roy. "You can't just keep stealing kisses! Not in public!"

"I believe I did," Roy replied coolly, rain still kissing their bodies. He placed a hand in Ed's wet hair and looked down at him with a smile.

Ed gave a "humph" of defeat and crossed his arms over his chest.

As soon as they got into the main hallway of the school, they looked at each other and started shaking the water off of them much like a dog would. A group of nearby girls yelped as water landed on their dry outfits; they put their noses in the air and gave a grunt of disgust as they walked away. Roy and Ed looked at each other and laughed. It was rather comical to them how girls cared so much about their appearance even in this sort of weather.

Together they walked to the locker area, but they didn't get there without hearing the constant hum of whispers and seeing the pointing fingers. So many things about them were up in the air. Some of the whispers talked about how strange it was that someone like Roy Mustang was friends with someone like Edward Elric. Some of the whispers talked about the awesome dodgeball match in PE yesterday. Some of the whispers were still talking about Ed's automail limbs and the incident from Tuesday with Zolf Kimblee and his buddies. But majority of the whispers spoke of the alchemy incident that had occurred during yesterday history class.

As Ed started twisting the dial of his lock to open his locker, Roy propped up next to him, when the PA system cut through the air, "Edward Elric to Room 9-18."

"Need me to go with you?" Roy asked.

"No, I'll be fine. See 'ya later," Ed said as he started to head for the classroom he'd been called to.

Roy being Roy followed Ed at a distance. He watched as Ed walked into the history room, and then propped himself against the outside wall close to the open door to hear.

The room was full of teachers and the principal was even there. They were running their hands hesitantly over the ornate doorway Ed had created yesterday out of the board.

"Oh yeah, um...sorry about that," Ed said as he walked up to the door, clapped his hands, and changed it back to it's original form.

"See! I'm not crazy!" the history teacher yelled. "I told you he was using alchemy! But no, no, no, you all just thought I was crazy!"

"Well, I wouldn't expect anything less from an Elric," the principal said as he placed a hand on Ed's right shoulder.

"Sir?" Ed asked.

"Nothing, nothing. Now, what do you propose we do about this situation? You do realize Mr. Elric that as an alchemist you do pose as a threat to the other students and staff," the principal said.

"We can't keep him enrolled at this school surely. If a fight breaks out or he loses his temper, then someone could get seriously hurt," one of the teachers said.

"But think of how better protected the school would be with an alchemist as a student. The world isn't safe anymore, and there's been numerous school shooting across the country. I think we should keep him here," another teacher said.

"You can't be serious! He's an alchemist! He works along side the devil!" a third teacher yelled.

After that was said, every staff member in the room chose a side. One side was to kick Ed out of the school, another side was to keep him enrolled, and the third side was just in aggreance that alchemy was devilwork. All three sides started yelling at each other in a heated argument over what to do with the small, blond, artificial-limbed alchemist, Edward Elric.

Ed sighed and took a seat in a nearby desk. The prinicipal's frustration was increasing greatly, and Ed was mentally counting the seconds until the normally kind, old man would snap.

_'1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8..'_

"EVERYONE QUIET!" the principal yelled and everyone immediately followed the command. "Y'all are squabbling like the teenage students y'all teach! Seriously, get a grip! You're all adults! Now, I think it should be up to Mr. Elric to decide whether to stay or leave."

Everyone's gaze went to the small blond.

_'Please stay, please stay, please stay. Dammit, Ed, answer already!'_ Roy thought.

"Hmm, well, despite the ridicule from fellow classmates and teachers alike, I'd like to stay if that's okay. And yes, I understand everyone's concern about me being able to use alchemy while the other students can't. No, I won't turn to alchemy in a fight...well...not on school grounds anyway; I believe in playing fair. And yes, in the event that something does happen that will cause harm to others, I swear that I will do whatever I can with my alchemy to help, like in case of a school shooting or fire or whatever. But I will say one thing, I'm not going to take any nonsense from the others anymore, like with what happened this past Tuesday. I won't use alchemy, but I can't help it if I swing with a metal arm," Ed said and casted his eyes into each teachers, waiting for a challenge or protest.

"That seems fair enough," the principal said, sticking out his hand. For the first time in a very long time, Ed shook the man's hand with his automail. This gesture ended any more arguing or discussion as every teacher returned to their former rooms and the principal went back to the office which left only Ed and the history teacher in the room.

The young teacher took a desk next to Ed, and they looked at each. Their backs were to the door, so Roy popped his head in to watch. None of the teachers had noticed Roy standing there when they had walked out.

"Edward, I have a very personal question for you. Yesterday before you left you said that you lost your arm and leg from alchemy. How? And if alchemy's that dangerous, then why do you still use it?" the teacher asked. Ed looked at her, and debated on whether to answer truthfully or not.

"I lost my arm and leg from my own stupidity. It wasn't alchemy's fault I was arrogant and naive. Besides, I've never been one to run away and give up," Ed replied simply.

"But...what did you do?"

"Tried to bring the dead back to life," Ed said, then rose from his seat and left the classroom, ending the discussion. Roy quickly ducked his head out of the door so that Ed wouldn't see him.

As Ed walked out of the classroom, Roy grabbed him and pulled the small body close to his. They were close enough that Roy decided to take advantage of the short distance and steal a quick kiss. As they pulled away, Ed was ready to start yelling, but as he opened his mouth the bell rang and Roy scurried off. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at the small alchemist as he ran (literally, lest he feel the wrath of Ed) away.

_'That Roy...'_ Ed thought with a smile, placing his hands deep in his pockets and walking down the hall among the other students to get to class.

Like always, Ed set his forehead on the cold desk and closed his eyes. Soon after, he was in a deep sleep and a dream decided to visit his mind...

_"Oh, Roy!" the small blond cried out in pure ecstasy as Roy's mouth savagely bit down on his nipple. He intertwined his fingers in the black locks as Roy pushed them to the floor._

_His tongue worked downward, dipping into Ed's naval, but before he could go any further he had to remove the last article of clothing. As his lips kissed random spaces of skin on Ed's abdomen, his hands started pulling the thin boxers down until they were no longer in the way._

_He continued his descent on the blond, placing the head of..._

Ed woke with a jolt. Several people around him starting chuckling, and Ed set his beet-red face back down on his desk, but he daren't fall back asleep.

_'T-that wasn't suppose to happen...That was the weirdest dream...I've never dreamt about something like that and with Roy, of all people! Ok, ok, well...so long as I don't have the exact same dream twice, then it won't come true. Right? Isn't that how that old wives's tale goes? But what if I do have the exact same dream twice? I wonder...would I enjoy it?'_ Ed thought. _'Damn you, Roy! Ah!'_

_((A/N: I was always told that if you have the same dream twice, then that means it'll come true. Just go with it.))_

The day carried on like normal, or as close to normal as possible. It was still raining and as the day got older, the rain got heavier and the sky blacker.

That damn dream he had stayed vivid in his mind for majority of the day, but in his final class of the day...he was dumb enough to fall asleep again, and of course, he dreamt the same dream. It started in the same spot and ended there too, and again, he woke with a jolt and red face, cursing Roy's name.

As he sat in desk waiting for the bell to ring, his mind ran rampant with thought after thought.

_'I wonder what it'll feel like if we ever did something like that...How will Roy be towards me?...Ugh, I can't believe I'm actually thinking about this, of all things. But I really am curious about it...Pft, teenage hormones. That's all it is. But no, I don't think that's it...No, I think it's more than that. I think it's actual desire. I think I actually wanna...'_

The final bell rang, and Ed left the room.

The rain was falling in a relentless downpour with the wind making worse.

Roy was standing under the pavilion that extended from the main entrance of the school, looking up at the sky white-faced. Before Ed could speak, a bolt of lightning raced across the dark sky accompanied by the loud boom of thunder. Roy yelped and grabbed Ed's left hand tightly.

"C'mon, let's go!" he said quickly and they took off at a run.

Ed had no clue what was going on, but Roy was holding on to his hand as if his life depended on it. The rain was falling harder now and lightning was shooting across the sky with thunder. Everytime the sky would light up, Ed would feel Roy's grip tighten and he wondered why.

They ran down the sidewalk, their feet splashing the puddles of water. It wasn't long until they got into the dry safety of Roy's apartment. Roy's face was white as a ghost as he stood up against the closed door. A roar of thunder. Ed was surprised to see Roy duck with a yelp.

"Um...Roy? You okay?" Ed asked.

Roy stood up slowly and walked over to Ed. He looked embarrassed to Ed.

"Astraphobia," Roy said simply.

"What?"

"I have a fear of thunder and lightning..."

"Oh."

It got quiet and Roy looked at Ed, "You're not laughing?"

"Nope," Ed said with a smile.

Roy shrugged and walked past him into the kitchen; his sneakers squeaked on the floor as he walked. Ed followed, his own shoes singing along. A trail of water was made from the door all the way to the kitchen. They were both soaking wet.

They sat down at the table across from each other. Roy propped his head in his hands and gazed at Ed with his black, ired eyes.

"Ed, do you ever fight back?" Roy asked.

Ed was caught off-guard by the question.

"I mean, when I was listening on your discussion with the teachers this morning, you said that you weren't going to take any nonsense from the others, but I've never seen you fight back before. You didn't Tuesday when Zolf and his buddies ganged up on you in the hallway," Roy added, but not without a yawn.

"Err...Well, let's just say that being with that bastard for so many years, I learned quick to avoid any further injury to shut up and deal with it. I'm starting to come out of that though, or I think I am anyway," Ed replied, and Roy nodded with another yawn which was turned into a yelp of surprise as another clap of thunder sounded through the air.

"Roy, if you tired, then go to bed," Ed suggested as Roy continued his yawning.

"Not in this weather. I'm tired as hell, but I won't be able to sleep with all this thundering..." Roy said and a look crossed him as though he had an idea. "Unless, of course, you come with me."

"What? How is that going to solve anything?"

"Well, it's a safety thing, I guess. When I was younger and the weather would get like this, I'd go and sleep in my parents' bed. Well, they got tired of me interrupting their nights, so they got me a dog. I always slept better with someone or something else with me, and you're here, so it might as well be you," Roy said. "Well, if you want too...I won't make you, even though I could...I mean, I-"

Ed smiled, stood up, and took Roy's hand to pull him out of the seat. He led them to Roy's room. Ed let go of his hand and started slowly stripping off the wet clothing.

"Ed...uh...what are you doing?"

"Don't want to get your bed all wet," Ed said and was down to his red boxers.

Roy shrugged and started to take off his own clothes, thinking as he did, _'I wonder how long until this gets very awkward for Ed. This should be interesting. Never thought Ed would act like this either. Hmm...Wonder what he's planning...'_

Once he was down to his blue boxers, he led Ed to the bed and they laid on the small twin together. Roy wrapped his arms around the small body, pressing Ed's back tightly against him. It wasn't long until the comforting warmth from the body made him drift off into a deep sleep, the thunder and lightning forgotten.

Three hours ticked by before Roy opened his eyes with a heavy sigh into the damp, golden locks. He smiled; Ed was fast asleep in his arms. Roy's right arm was underneath Ed and was numb, having fallen asleep. He pulled his arm out from underneath the petite frame which caused Ed to roll on his stomach. Roy looked at the scarred back and frowned. He couldn't resist as his fingers traced over the scars with ghost-like touches. He thought about counting the scars, but that would probably be impossible; there were so many and you couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. It was so saddening.

Roy watched the small body shudder from the tingling touches. A soft moan came from Ed's throat as he opened his eyes to meet Roy's gaze.

"Hello," Roy said softly and reached out his hand to stroke Ed's cheek. Surprising to Roy, Ed took his hand and kissed the palm of it. He then gave Roy such a smile, one that Roy had never seen before from anyone.

Ed turned so that his back was to Roy which confused him a bit.

"Hey, Roy...um...have you...um...who...Oh, nevermind."

"No, what is it?" Roy asked.

"You've...um...had sex before, right?"

"Yes," Roy replied, and wondered what prompted the unexpected question.

"Many times?"

"I wouldn't say many, but a few. Why?"

"Well, what does...what does it feel like to have it with someone you love?" Ed asked at last, though he stumbled through the personal question.

Roy grabbed him gently by the shoulder and turned him on his back so that he could straddle Ed's small hips. He pressed his lips softly against Ed's.

"Do you want to find out?" he asked, his breath hot and heavy against Ed's soft lips. Roy expected to be pushed away or yelled at or struck by the teen, but he was surprised by the answer.

"Yes," Ed replied in a rather shaky voice.

Roy kissed Ed once more on the lips before making a wet trail down his neck.

"R-Roy, wait, I...I've never done this before one my own terms," Ed said.

Roy smiled and took Ed's chin in his hand.

"If you want me stop, just tell me and I swear that I will. Don't worry about a thing, just try to relax, ok? I'm not going to hurt you, I swear it," Roy said sweetly then leaned down for another kiss on Ed's soft lips.

Ed forced his body to relax, and told himself that this was going to be something completely new. He felt...safe. Yeah, safe. He felt as if he didn't have to worry about anything with Roy. He knew that Roy would be nothing like that bastard.

The skin of his chest went sensitive as Roy's lips and hot breath ghosted over every inch of skin. Ed could hear his heart pounding in his chest and was sure Roy could hear it too. A soft moan escaped past his lips as Roy's tongue swirled around his nipple. A gasp followed by a cried out name came forth as Roy bit down on the delicate skin. Ed placed his right hand on the back of Roy's neck, and upon realizing what hand he was using he retracted. Roy sat up and looked at him confused.

"Sorry...I forget..." Ed muttered.

"Nonsense, I love every part of you. Flesh or metal," Roy said with a light chuckle and smile as he took the automail limb and placed it back on his body.

Roy returned to his task by running his tongue straight down Ed's front, dipping into his naval, but he stopped once he reached the intruding red fabric. He took into faith that if Ed wanted to stop, he'd tell him, so Roy slowly moved his hands to the elastic band of the boxers. Slowly as if they had forever, Roy pulled them down and got them discarded to the floor. He took a moment to look at the teen underneath him and was, quite frankly, impressed. What Ed didn't have in height, he made up for elsewhere. Just as slowly, Roy pulled off his own boxers. Now they were both naked for each other to see.

Roy ran his hand over Ed's length earning a moan. He placed one finger at Ed's lips, saying, "So I don't hurt you." Ed took the finger in his mouth and starting running his tongue over the long digit, then Roy pushed two more fingers in. Once he was satisfied that they were coated enough in Ed's saliva, he removed them and positioned himself between Ed's legs.

He casted a glance at Ed for him to prepare himself, not knowing if it would hurt Ed or not. After a moment, he pushed one finger in the dark entrance. It didn't seem to bother Ed at all, so Roy pushed in another finger. Ed gasped softly as Roy started to make a scissoring motion with the fingers, stretching the entrance. A third and final finger went in. Roy watched Ed bite down briefly on his lower lip. He made another scissoring motion with the three fingers, with his free hand he played with Ed's hardened member. He pulled his fingers out and lifted Ed's hip.

Roy leaned forward, the head of his member probing Ed's entrance, he placed his left hand against Ed cheek and gazed lovingly into the seemingly endless golden eyes.

"I love you," he whispered as he pushed himself halfway into the small body.

Slowly, Roy pulled out and slowly he pushed back in. He decided he should take a slow pace for now. He really didn't want to hurt Ed, and given Ed's past, he wasn't sure what would happen. Them doing this could cause Ed to have a sudden mental breakdown, for all Roy knew. Luckily that didn't happen.

Ed moaned as he felt a wave of warmth run through his body. He could feel Roy quickening his pace, and his moans increased. Roy's name rolled off of his tongue in pure ecstasy. He'd never known anything like this before. Yes, this was indeed something completely new. It wasn't long until Ed fell into the rhythm Roy had created and they became one. Their bodies rocked and swayed in perfect unison. He delighted in the warmth of Roy's body as the raven-haired teen leaned into him to kiss random skin.

He felt Roy pull him up, and now they were in a different position. Now Ed was practically sitting in his lap, and somehow Roy was still managing to push and pull himself in and out of Ed by gripping his hips.

Ed wrapped his arms around Roy's neck as he let forth the loudest moan of the night. Roy kissed at the base of Ed's neck before biting down lightly on the area.

Now, it was Roy's turn to moan in pleasure as he was starting to reach a climax. With one final great push, Roy released himself in Ed with a relieving sighing moan. He collapsed on Ed, making them go back into their former position.

They were both breathless and sweat glistened off their bodies from the moonlight that drifted in the room from the window. Moonlight?

_Are you ready?  
Ready, Steady, can't hold me back  
_

Ed leaned over the bed, Roy moving off the small body, and rummaged through the still-wet jeans until he found the source of the noise.

_Ready, Steady, give me good luck  
Ready, Ste-_

"Hello?" he asked into his cell.

"Edward Elric, where the hell are you!?" an angry Winry yelled loudly into the phone; Roy could even hear her.

"I'm at Roy's. Sorry, but with the weather so bad..." Ed bit down hard on his lip to suppress the moan that threatened to escape as Roy placed the head of Ed's length in his mouth.

"Sorry, Winry, gotta go!" Ed said quickly, almost too fast to be coherent. He flipped his phone shut and let it fall to the floor. Finally he let out his captured moan as Roy started bobbing his head up and down on Ed's length.

He wimpered in protest when Roy stopped and looked up at him.

"C'mon," Roy said with a wink as he took Ed by the hand and led him down the hall to the bathroom for a shower.

An hour later they were back in Roy's bed, Roy holding Ed tightly. Roy ran his fingers through the wet locks of wheat colored hair as he peered into Ed's eyes.

"Ed, I love you," he said softly then placed a small kiss on Ed's forehead brushing stray bangs away as he did.

Ed smiled brightly. He knew that Roy meant it, and that made everything worth it.

"I love you too," Ed said in just as soft a voice and returned the kiss. As he pulled back, he yawned, and Roy laughed lightly. "Roy, promise me that you'll never leave me."

"I promise, Ed. I'd never leave you," Roy said with a smile and kissed Ed's forehead once more.

_'So this is what it's like to love and be loved,'_ Ed thought before dozing off in Roy's arms.

* * *

**So there you have! I hate to say it, but personally, I think this is the worst chapter in this fic. And I don't think I did too good a job on the sex scene either, but I tried! That's gotta count for something, right? Well, anyways, thanks for reading and please review! I love reviews!**

**:)**


	8. Sequel: Only the Beginning

**Yay! Finally! Here's the first chapter of the sequel! Woot! Sorry it took so long. With this chapter it's all too easy to figure out what's going to happen in the upcoming chapters. This chapter is kind of random, and I hope that some of the scenes are taken humorously instead of being stupid. I really just had fun with some of the parts. So yeah. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading! Please review!!**

**Things to know/Reminder:  
-Amestris, 21st century, modern setting  
-Set two years after the last chapter  
-Alchemy died out years ago  
-Alphonse is dead  
-I made up a country called Philion  
-Roy's now 20 and Ed is 18**

**Enjoy! This is the first chapter of the sequel. Obviously, I've attached it to the first half, but if desired, I can make the sequel into a seperate story entry thingy.**

* * *

It was Saturday. The air outside was crisp and cold. As he exhaled he could see his own breath in short, white puffs. Winter was starting to fade away, but the cold was always last to leave. The ground under his feet was soggy from the melted snow. He didn't mind the cold though. It was refreshing to him.

The scarf around his neck trailed behind him as his feet pounded rhythmically in the dampened soil of the trail. The only sound came from himself. It was quiet except for his labored breathing and heavy feet. Everything about this place, he enjoyed: the pleasantly biting cold that nipped as his face, the freshness of the air, the solitude. He was alone here, away from the world and all its troubles. He could think here.

He slowed his jog to a walk as he ran out of breath. He had been jogging along the trail for two hours now. He walked out of the park and made back into the city, far away from the solitude of the park.

It was still early in the morning. He went to a small coffee shop that was just down the street from the entrance of the park. As he stood at the counter waiting for his coffee, he listened in on the conversation that was going on between to customers sitting at a table behind him.

"-government's fault. I want to know when the hell the damn government's going to step in!" the gray-haired man said to his companion.

"I'll tell you when. When it's too late! When those bastards have gotten too far in our country to get rid of them. Our military is so small now. If this was happening twenty years ago, then none of this would be happening at our borders," the other man said.

Roy knew what they were talking about. War was rising. It was so close. You couldn't pick up a newspaper or turn on the television without hearing about what was going on at the borders. The country to the west of Amestris, Philion, was stepping into Amestris lands and trying to claim it as their own. The Philions had a fierce army that dwarfed the Amestris military force. Nowadays, the Amestris military was so small. Once the State stopped paying for the college education of military soldiers, people stopped joining. People knew that if war were to break out, then the outcome would not be great for the Amestris side.

"You heard what the State's going to do, right?" the gray-haired man asked.

"No, what?"

"If they declare war, then they're going to issue a draft so that people like that kid over there will be fighting on the lines," he replied jerking his head at Roy.

_'A draft? T-that can't be right. There hasn't been a draft in over a century! Why now?' _Roy thought to himself. He could feel himself whiten. He couldn't imagine what the battlefield would be like. He only knew the many horror stories of war.

After the woman behind the counter gave him his Styrofoam cup of coffee, he left. He walked slowly down the sidewalk in the direction of his apartment. His heart was heavy. The news that there could be a draft hit him hard. He shrugged and tried to push the thought of war to the back of his mind. He didn't want that to put a damper on his day especially since today him and Ed were supposed to go out.

As he took sips of the hot drink, he started thinking about Ed. That was a better topic to think about instead of war. They'd been together for a long time. In a few months, it would be three years together. Ed was a senior in high school now, and Roy's sophomore year of college was closing to an end. As he sat in class, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble Ed was getting into. He could still remember the week that Ed was his slave. He remembered how much trouble Ed got into in only a week. But luckily, people accepted Ed now. Since it had come out about their relationship, people accepted him. No one bullied him around anymore.

He smiled at that last thought. Ed had come a long way since that first week. He used to be so afraid to stand up for himself so much so that he paid for it, but now was a completely different story. He didn't let people shove him around anymore, not even Roy. And with him being able to use alchemy, people really didn't mess with him. Since Roy graduated from the high school, there had been only one altercation where Ed got into a fist fight with some senior. Ed wasn't even scratched, but the other guy...well...Needless to say, automail swings hard.

Out of all of Roy's relationships, this one was his absolute favorite romance in every aspect. He loved Ed, and he was fascinated with the short blond. His automail, his alchemy, even his height, fascinated Roy.

When he got to his apartment, he went in and took a hot shower. He threw on some clean clothes and lounged around the place waiting for Ed to show up.

He was absently digging through the cabinets in the kitchen and singing his lungs out along with the radio when Ed finally showed up. He felt something wrap around his waist and squeeze him tightly.

"I knocked, but you were singing too loudly to hear me," Ed said softly. Roy turned around to face him as Ed let go of him.

"Good morning to you too," he greeted with a smile. He had to lean down slightly to kiss Ed. Their lips stayed locked for only a few seconds before they broke away.

"Ready to go?" Roy asked. Ed nodded and off they went.

The day was too perfect and beautiful to drive about Central, so they walked side by side down the sidewalk. The sun was shining brightly overhead, and the sky was a beautiful, clear blue. Not a cloud in sight. The air caressed their faces with cold hands, but it was a comforting cold now that it was noon.

First place they went was to a little diner nearby to eat lunch. They sat across from each other at a booth. Ed was facing the door, and he watched the lunch crowd slowly start to file in. Roy, however, watched Ed. That was his only interest. He loved how Ed's gold eyes shifted curiously around as he watched surroundings. Today Ed held some kind of beauty to him that Roy had never seen before. He couldn't place it, but there was just something about him today that made him look absolutely stunning. Maybe it was how he was dressed. Nah, it couldn't be that. Ed was dressed as normally as ever. Maybe it was how the sunlight from the window played with his features. Roy didn't know.

"Uh...Roy?"

"Huh?" Roy's voice held that absent quality to it, and his eyes were dulled.

"You're doing it again."

"Huh?...Oh!" Roy snapped out of his staring day-dream state. "Sorry. Just got caught up."

Ed just smiled.

They paid the bill and left to go elsewhere.

The next stop was the movies. Roy said that they absolutely had to go there to see some new movie that'd just come out to theaters. It was supposedly the "scariest movie of the century." And...that was no lie. It was very graphic film that was not shy at all with blood and gore. Ed found himself squeezing his eyes shut tightly throughout several scenes. He didn't tell Roy about the memories the film brought back. He didn't want him to feel guilty about it or anything. But through one scene where one of the characters was being skinned alive, Roy wrapped his arm around Ed's shoulder and pulled him close. He intertwined his fingers with Ed's (who was sitting to his right). It felt comforting to Ed, and the terrible images of his past faded away as he just concentrated on Roy's breathing instead of the movie.

"That was an awesome movie!" Roy said as they walked out of the theater. He was an avid fan of horror films.

"Yeah," Ed replied.

"How would you know? You spent nearly the entire film with your eyes shut," Roy teased.

"Oh, so sorry I'm not a big fan of some guy gouging a woman's eyes out with a spoon," Ed teased back. He stuck out his tongue. He really didn't want Roy to know about the horrible memories that ran through his mind during the film and how much it actually upset him.

Next they went to the mall which held it's own humorous adventures.

Ed took Roy's hand in his and pulled him into one of the many photo-booths that lined the walls. They took four pictures each with a different, very goofy facial expression on both of them. The last picture though was different from the other three. It was of them kissing passionately. Roy kept that one for himself, tucking it into his wallet.

As they walked side by side through the mall, passing countless stores, they passed one place in particular that they thought would be fun to venture into. They walked into the dark room. Every machine produced different sounds, but one machine in particular was very unique from the others. Some people called it life. Some people called it annoying. The loud, mostly foreign music had a catchy beat so much so that Roy insisted that they try it even though neither of them had ever played the game before.

They each got on their side of the machine and stood in the middle, arrows pointing up, right, down, and left surrounded their feet. They put in the required amount of tokens, selected the Beginner level, and picked a song on random. They thought this would be easy, but they were wrong...

The arrows scrolled up on the screen, and the duo frantically fought to get their feet on the squares in time. It was kind of pathetic looking...but it did provide entertainment for the small crowd that had formed behind them.

The song ended and their scores showed up on the screen.

"I got a D!"

"Roy, I don't think that's good," Ed said.

"It's better than your E," Roy replied.

They still had two rounds, so they randomly selected a song. As they waited for the screen to load, they turned to face each other.

"Do you think we can do it?" Roy asked.

"We can only try," Ed replied in a dramatic voice as if their life depended on them making a good score.

That earned them a few giggles from some girls in the crowd behind them.

Again they went through the frantic steps of the techno-y song. This time, their scores were a lot better. They both got C's.

"Hey, Roy, just for kicks and giggles, let's change the level," Ed suggested. Roy nodded in agreement, and they upped the level from Beginner to Standard.

"You ready?" Roy asked as they waited for the screen to load.

Ed shook out his body and got on his toes as if he was about to go into the ring to box.

"Oh, I'm ready," he replied in another dramatic voice.

The screen game up and the song started playing. Their jaws dropped as the arrows flew up on the screen.

Spastically, they started randomly hitting the arrows on the platform.

"What were you thinking, Ed!?" Roy yelled as he nearly tripped over his own feet.

"What were you thinking agreeing with me, Roy!?" Ed yelled back.

Not even half way through the song, they gave up and just started dancing together on the platform to the beat of the music. Needless to say, they looked pretty stupid.

The song ended, and the crowd actually applauded them so Roy and Ed bowed. They got off the platform and watched as two girls slightly younger than Ed got on. They were awesomely good.

Ed and Roy left the arcade in shame.

"I can't believe we got showed up by girls!" Roy said in disappointment.

"It was fun though," Ed said and smiled at Roy.

"True, true," Roy said, smiling back.

Later, Roy sat on the bench as he waited for Ed to come back from the restroom. He pulled out his wallet and pulled out the small picture of them kissing. He stared at it lovingly. In the picture, Roy could tell how happy Ed was and that made him happy too.

"Y'know, I heard about it, but I didn't think it was true!" said a familiar voice from behind him.

Roy turned to face the speaker.

"Kimblee, good to see you again, now fuck off," Roy said, then turned back around.

"Aw, now, now, Roy. I don't think that's any way to greet a friend," Kimblee said as he sat next to Roy on the bench. He snatched the picture out of Roy's hands. "I bet he is a good little fuck, ain't he? He just looks so _tasty_." He licked his lips. Roy snatched the picture back.

"Go away, Kimblee," Roy said through gritted teeth.

"With that attitude, I don't think I'm going to help you at all on the field."

"What are you talking about?" Roy asked, finally turning to face his former classmate.

"The war, of course. It was announced only an hour ago that the Philions declared war on Amestris. With the draft going into effect soon, me and you are likely to be fighting on the field together. I'm just saying that if you keep up with that attitude, I'm not going to save your ass later on the field."

"And I'm just saying that if you don't leave me alone now, I'm going to knock all of your teeth out and break your nose again," Roy said.

"Ouch. You can be so mean sometimes. Well, I guess I'll leave you alone now seeing how you've become so antisocial towards me," he said then stood to walk away. He turned around to say more to Roy. "Oh, and Roy, I'd keep a close eye on that toy you've got following you around."

The look on Kimblee's face was revolting, and Roy had to fight to keep from knocking him flat for his comment. Luckily, the bastard left.

Roy clenched his fist tightly as he tried to calm himself down. He didn't want Ed to know about the conversation. Speaking of which, Ed should've been back by now. He looked around him, but couldn't see him anywhere. He had a distant fear in his mind that Kimblee must've cornered him, but he spotted the back of Kimblee walking into a store.

Roy tucked the picture back where it belonged in his wallet and stood up to look for Ed. He scanned for the blond in the crowd of mall-goers, but Ed was just so short. Then it dawned on him. It was really a 'Duh!' moment. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his cell. He flipped it open revealing a picture of them together and smiling brightly at the camera. He dialed Ed's number and placed it to his ear. He heard it go off and turned around. Ed was standing behind him holding two Styrofoam cups.

"Thought you might be thirsty," Ed said as he handed one of the cups to Roy, his phone was still singing. He dug in his own pocket and flipped his phone open and closed it again.

Roy took the straw in his mouth and took a sip of the soda.

"Thanks. I got kinda worried for a minute," Roy said.

"Worried? What, don't think I can take care of myself?" Ed asked.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that...ah, never mind," Roy replied, and they started walking aimlessly through the mall. Ed didn't press the issue any.

They hung about the mall for a few more minutes before leaving.

The last place they went was to the park. It was around four o'clock, and a lot of people were taking advantage of the sunny day.

Ed and Roy walked on the trail in silence. Neither knew why, but it was awkward all of a sudden. It was that uncomfortable silence.

"Hey, Ed?"

Ed turned to look at Roy, but was blinded by a flash of light.

"Gotcha!" Roy said with a smile holding up his slim digital camera.

"Hey! Why you!"

Ed reached out to snatch the camera out of Roy's hands to delete the picture. That's what caused the wild chase through the park. Ed ran after Roy who would occasionally turn around to take more pictures. It wasn't long after the chase had begun that they ran out of breath and collapsed in the grass laughing.

Roy rolled on his side to face Ed who looked at him with the sweetest smile. He crept his camera-holding hand up and snapped a picture and quickly hid it back in his jacket. Roy went on his back and stared at the blue sky. Ed snuggled up close to him.

"Ed, if...something happened to me...would you be sad?" Roy asked in a whisper.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I'd be sad," Ed replied and looked up at Roy.

"I heard today that we're officially at war with the Philions," Roy said softly.

"Yeah, I heard that too." Ed either hadn't heard about the draft yet or he just didn't care about the war at all. His voice held no concern.

"Ed, what do you think happens after you die?"

"I don't know. I never thought about it. Now why are you asking these questions?"

"Just thinking out loud, I guess..." Roy replied. He wrapped his arm around Ed. He used the back of his hand to rub Ed's cheek lovingly.

Ed wasn't sure what to think about any of this. He had never heard Roy speak like this before, asking these type of questions. He wondered what Roy was thinking about, but he didn't ask.

This time, the silence that visited them was pleasant and almost inviting even. Together they watched as the sun started sinking in the sky, streaking the sky in shades of gold and pink.

"Ed, I love you," Roy said.

Ed smiled. He got out of Roy's arms and leaned down to softly kiss Roy's lips.

"I love you too," he said and kissed Roy once more.

Not long after that, they left. Roy walked Ed home, kissed him at the door, and left. He was happy, but he wasn't. This whole war thing was really getting to him.

Sighing and hoping to lift his mood, he went to the small film shop near his apartment to have the pictures on his camera printed. The lady handed him the envelope of pictures, and as he walked out of the store, he flipped through them. He couldn't help but smile at them.

That night as he laid in his bed, he looked at the small picture of them sharing that passionate kiss in the photo-booth. All he could think about as he looked at the picture was how much he loved Ed and that he never wanted to lose him.

He dozed off holding the picture to his chest.

At some point in the night he woke up panting and sweating from a nightmare. He dreamt that he was on the battlefield, and he was fighting for his life, but there was someone else fighting next to him. Someone who didn't make it. The last scene of the dream was of Ed getting shot several times in the chest by the enemy. In the dream Roy ran to him and held his limp body in his hands. He joined him shortly after as the enemy closed in around them and shot him too.

Roy held his head in his hands at the horrible realization that with this draft, Ed would be going too. The picture of them fell to the floor.

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**Hope you enjoyed reading! I'm still trying to get back into the mindset of this fic, so the chapters will hopefully get better. Anyways, please review!**

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	9. The Spark of the Flame

**So this is the 'WTF!? Why the hell am I reading this!?' chapter. It is major suckage. The beginning is stupid and so is the middle and kinda the end. It's a bad chapter all around. But I will say one thing, the upcoming chapters will be intense or so I hope. I'm hoping it'll all be worth it once I really get into the story of this sequel. But yeah, so anyways, please read and review!**

**Also, if you haven't already, to keep you entertained until I get the next chapter up go read my other fics! I've got a little bit of everything from fluffy, short oneshots to rape. You might find something you like. I'd really appreciate it!  
:)**

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Monday. Probably the most hated day of the week. Poor Monday. So many people cursed at Monday for having to show up on the calendars. Mondays meant returning to the work you left on Friday. Mondays meant going back to school for another boring week.

Ed was probably the only person in Central who didn't care that it was Monday. So long as he got to see Roy after school everyday, he didn't care. But he was a bit upset that he didn't get to see the tall, dark-eyed man yesterday. Roy had some essay to finish, and he said that he couldn't be disturbed on it. Luckily though, Roy'd called him before he went to bed and they said good night to each other.

As Ed drove down the street to school on his jet-black naked motorcycle, he thought about the conversation between them last night. There was nothing really special about it, but he wanted to preoccupy his mind. Probably not the smartest thing to do while driving what some people referred to as "Death Vehicles."

_"Hello?" Ed asked in a soft whisper. He knew who was calling._

_"I missed you," Roy said in a tired voice._

_"I missed you too. Got your paper finished?"_

_"Uh huh, six hours later."_

_"You sound tired. You should go to bed."_

_"I'm going to. I just wanted to hear your voice so that I can dream about you," Roy said with a yawn. "Say, Ed, do you think dragons are real?"_

_"Huh? Dragons? I can't say I've ever seen one."_

_"Well, what about fairies?"_

_"Nope."_

_"Hmm...And unicorns?"_

_"Okay, okay, you're out of it. Go to bed. Now!" Ed ordered. He was laying on his bed._

_"No, wait, wait. Hear me out on this. If dragons, and fairies, and unicorns were real, then wouldn't that just be awesome? I mean, instead of driving cars, we could drive dragons. We could have fairies as our little sidekicks. And unicorns...well...unicorns would just be awesome! They're so pretty!"_

_Ed slapped his face. His eyes went over to the clock. 'No wonder he's talking like this. It's near midnight!' Ed thought._

_"Roy, this is a very interesting conversation, but if you don't go to bed now, I'm going to go over there and force you."_

_"Oh, I like the sound of that! I need to be punished, Ed. I've been a bad boy," Roy said; Ed could hear the smirk in his voice and could imagine the sly, twinkling look in his black eyes._

_"Roy Mustang! Go to bed! Now!"_

_"Well aren't you just bossy! Bossy, bossy, bossy."_

_Ed laughed. It reminded him of talking to someone who was completely smashed. He knew Roy well enough to know that he never drank, and he knew how dysfunctional Roy's mind got late at night. Roy was just exhausted._

_"Hey, hey, what's so funny?" Roy asked about Ed's laughing._

_"Nothing. Listen to me, Roy, you need to go to bed. If you go to bed right now, then I'll give you a treat tomorrow, okay?"_

_"A treat? Okay, but it better be good! Well, good night, Ed-o!"_

_"Good night, Roy."_

_"Dream about me. I love you," Roy said._

_"I lo-"_

_The line went dead._

_"-ve you too."_

_Ed sighed with a smile as he placed his cellphone on his nightstand. _

_'That Roy,' Ed thought before he dozed off._

He stopped at the red light and the guy in the lane next to him started honking at him. He turned. His face was hidden by the dark-tinted, full-face helmet. The guy blew him a kiss just as the light turned green. He drove off in his blue Ford Mustang. Ed smiled as he drove off too. Roy always knew how to make him smile.

He drove on. The black leather jacket shielded him from February's cold. For his eighteenth birthday, the Rockbell's got him a motorcycle and Roy got him the leather jacket and helmet. He said it made him look sexy. That night things got a bit _wild_ at Roy's. Ed felt his face heat up as the images from that night came into his mind.

As soon as he made it into the student parking lot and got off his bike, his cellphone started ringing. He pulled off his helmet and dug through his pocket to dig it out. He had time before the bell rang.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Aloha!"

"Good morning to you too, Roy," Ed said with a light chuckle.

"Mornin'! I tell 'ya, Ed, I feel great, but something weird happened last night."

"What happened?"

"I had the strangest dream where I was riding a dragon down the highway and you were a fairy and there was a unicorn in the park. It was weird."

Ed busted out laughing.

"Um...Did I call you last night? I can't remember."

"Yeah, you did. Okay, Roy, I've gotta go. I'll stop by there after school, okay? I love you," Ed said sweetly and made a kissing sound into the phone.

"Love you too. See you later."

Ed went off to join his classmates for another Monday of school.

Yep, it was just another Monday, no different from the last. Well, it would seem that way. Like any Monday, teachers and students alike would discuss and rant about something that'd happened from the previous week or over their weekend. Today the topic seemed to be about the war and the draft. In every classroom Ed went into, the teacher was ranting about how wrong the government is tending to the war by forcing the nation's youth to fight for them. They all said that they were treating children like dogs.

As Ed sat in his calculus class, staring absently out the window like always, another student ran into the room waving a piece of paper.

"It's here! It's here!" the student yelled.

The teacher took the paper from his hands and read. As she read, her eyes kept moving from person to person in the classroom. She let out a long, shaky sigh, and Ed saw the sadness in her eyes.

"To help insure victory during these troubled times, we, the Amestris State Military, have issued a mandatory draft. The first selection to go into training was chosen at random, only varying by age and gender; males chosen from the age of eighteen to thirty-five are to be notified," the teacher read aloud. "A list of the first selection is included in this letter. Any person selected to fight for his country must attend training on February 15 or will face five years in federal prison as well as a hefty fine. You should be honored to fight for your country, and you should do so with pride. The first selection to go into training are..." Her eyes left the paper and she looked at her students. There was only one student in the class at the moment whose name was on that paper. Her eyes went to him, and Ed felt a knot form in his throat. "I'm sorry, Edward," she said softly. Everyone turned to look at the small blond.

"Looks like I'm going to war," Ed said simply with a shrug and a 'I-Don't-Give-A-Damn' smile. He was doing it again, trying to act all tough. Trying to appear unfazed, but on the inside he was panicking.

As the school day went on, a group of fifteen students had formed. Ed was among them. These fifteen students were the ones to start the war on the Amestris side. The sad truth was that majority of people didn't think any of them would make it back once sent off. Ed even doubted if he'd be able to survive and he wasn't even any where near the battlefield yet.

Images formed in his mind, terrible images. He kept asking himself why, but he never got an answer. Of course. He shook his head as he mounted his bike once school let out.

As he drove off he wondered what he'd tell Roy. He wondered how Roy would react to the news. Even as he walked up to Roy's door, he wondered what he'd say. He didn't know what to do, how he should act about all of this. A part of him wanted to break down and hide under a rock, but another part of him actually wanted to go.

The door opened just as he raised his hand to knock and he was pulled in quickly. The door was shut and he was pressed against it in one fluid motion. He gasped in surprise at the sudden action.

Roy pressed his body against the smaller frame. His fingers intertwined in the wheat locks, and his seemingly endless black eyes peered into Ed's. Ed opened his mouth to talk, but Roy thwarted the attempt by capturing Ed's lips for his own. Ed could feel Roy's body tremble as well as his own. When Roy pulled away, Ed saw a mix of emotions pooling in the endless onyx: love, confusion, anger, fear.

Roy bowed his head and slammed the palm of his right hand against the door. Ed couldn't see his eyes anymore, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Roy was crying.

"Ed, I...I can't lose you," he said in a faltering whisper. He reached out with his left hand to rest on Ed's metal shoulder. Ed had never seen Roy so weak. It was usually the other way around. Seeing Roy like made Ed want to shed every ounce of dignity and pride. He wanted to stop putting on this strong front, and he really just wanted to cry in Roy's arms. But one of them had to be the strong one, and it was finally Ed's turn to play the role.

Ed stroked Roy's back with one hand while the other ran through his mat of raven hair. Slowly, he pulled Roy closer to him.

"Roy, you're not going to lose me. I'm not going anywhere," he cooed, trying to be as soft and soothingly as possible.

"But, Ed, we're going to war," Roy sobbed.

_'We? Roy's going too? Well, this changes everything,'_ Ed thought to himself.

"Roy, listen to me, so long as we're there for each other, then everything's going to fine. I'll be there for you, and you'll be there for me. Everything's going to okay if we just stick together through this," Ed said softly. "Until that times comes when we have to face Death, let's just enjoy our time together as citizens of Amestris and not dogs of Amestris."

He moved his hands downward to Roy's waist to pull him close to him in a tight embrace.

"I love you, Roy. If I die, I'll die a happy person knowing that I had your love."

He felt Roy's strong arms squeeze his small body tightly. He could feel his hot breath against his neck as he spoke.

"It scares me, Ed. I'm so terrified. From the moment I got the letter. And I'm not afraid for myself, I'm afraid for you. I always told myself that I'd protect you from anything, but I don't know if I can. If something happened to you..."

It gave Ed a warm feeling inside of him. It reminded him that someone cared about him. He could only smile as he played with Roy's hair while keeping him close.

After several minutes, Ed took Roy's hand in his and brought him over to the sofa. They laid down together, their limbs tangling. Roy stroked the blond's cheek from behind.

"Ed, I'm sorry..." Roy whispered in his ear. "I didn't mean for you to see me like that."

Ed chuckled lightly.

"Don't apologize, Roy. You did nothing wrong. It's no sin to be weak at times. It just proves that you're human," Ed said. He did a weird turn to face Roy so that he could kiss Roy's forehead and then his lips.

He watched as the dark eyes slowly disappeared behind their lids. He spent a few minutes just watching the older one sleep. He ran his fingers through Roy's black hair, and he found himself hoping to be there to see the black turn to grey. He smiled.

A few hours later, Roy opened his eyes. He reached out to hug the small body he'd fallen asleep with, but he just grabbed air. He sat up and that's when he saw the note on the coffee table. He picked it up. _I love you, Roy. _It was in Ed's neat cursive handwriting.

_'Why? I don't understand why this is happening. I'm going to die. He's going to die. And for what? For my country, that's what they'll all say. Even if neither of us die, I don't think I'll be able to...to...kill someone else. War or no war. It's murder. What if...Oh, just shut up, Roy! You're smarter than this. Oh, that's just great, now I'm talking to myself like I'm a separate person. But...Let's think this through. There's a problem, and I need a solution to it. The problem would be going off to war. I don't want Ed to go, but I don't see how he can...get...out...I've got it! A broken arm, of course! They won't let someone with a broken arm fight on the field, but...Ed would never go for that. Ugh. This sucks. Okay, okay, start over. Um...The would be going off to war. I don't want Ed to go because I don't know if I'll be able to protect him. Pft. Well, that's dumb of me. Ed's an alchemist. If anything, he'll have to protect me. Wait...Alchemy?'_

His mood lifted considerably at the realization that Ed was an alchemist. He found himself smiling at random parts in the night; as he ate dinner, as he showered, even as he stared blankly at the ceiling in his bedroom.

Morning came, but Roy slept in. He made up his mind last night that he wasn't going to go to school today. He crawled out of bed around ten or so. Slowly, he went through his normal morning ritual though a few hours later than normal. He walked out of his apartment and was greeted by a fading chill and shining sun. He decided he'd walk today, but as he passed his car, he ran the palm of his hand over the hood. He'd been neglecting her by walking more than driving. He muttered an apology to his baby, as if she could hear him or would talk back, and left.

There was something he needed to look for, but he had no clue if what he needed could be found or if it even existed nowadays. He went through several stores looking for it, but he never asked anyone for help.

Finally, in an antique shop downtown, he found it. It was old and tattered. He could tell that many people have read it or attempted to anyway. It was probably fifty years old, maybe even older. He flipped through the stained pages, the edges of which were torn and jagged from its old age. He looked for more like it, but he couldn't find anything. The only one of its kind in Central.

He set the book down on the counter. The elderly shopkeeper gave him a questioning eye. but shrugged as he picked it up to set a price on it. It was a bit expensive, but Roy paid it anyway. At last, he left the store with it in a bag. He smiled to himself now knowing that things were going to be easier.

Now he couldn't wait for Ed to show up. He knew the small blond would go straight to his apartment after school, and he couldn't wait. But he'd have to.

Time seemed to slow down when you wanted it to speed up. It felt like an eternity from the time Roy got back to his apartment to when Ed showed up several hours later.

Ed let himself in. It was practically his house as well as Roy's by now. It was pretty much a second home to him. He stripped off his jacket and shoes before walking into the living room like always. He wordlessly joined Roy on the sofa.

Roy wrapped his arm around Ed's shoulder to pull him close.

"How was your day?" Roy asked casually.

"Fine, I guess. And your's?"

"Okay, but it's perfect now that you're here."

"What's in the bag?" Ed asked once noticing the shopping bag on the coffee table with Rick's Antiquities printed on it. He looked up at grinning Roy with questioning eyes.

Roy reached out and pulled the book out of the bag.

"I want you to teach me," he said as he showed Ed the cover of the book.

"Alchemy? You want me to teach you alchemy?"

"Yeah," Roy replied as if they were talking something as simple as basic mathematics.

"Why do you want to learn alchemy? You do know that it's not something easy to learn?" Ed asked. He thumbed the bind and gazed at the familiar cover. He'd read this book before; it'd been in his father's collection. It brought back memories of his younger brother, Alphonse.

"Give me more credit than that! I know it's not easy to learn. Believe me, I've already tried reading that thing and I don't understand half of it."

"But why do you want to learn alchemy all of a sudden?"

"It isn't obvious? I want to learn alchemy so that I can have something to protect us. I mean, think about it, if you know alchemy and I know alchemy, then we'll definitely be fine," Roy replied. He ran his finger along Ed's jawline until it made it to his chin where he tilted Ed's head up and back. He softly kissed Ed's lips. "Please, Ed, teach me. I only want to be able to protect you." His eyes pleaded, and as Ed looked into them, he sighed in defeat.

"Fine, you win, but you have to swear to me that you will _never_ do what I did," Ed said. His tone was stern and eyes serious.

"I swear," Roy said.

Ed opened the book and the lesson started. It was all so confusing at first, but as Ed explained, it seemed to make a little more sense. He was starting to understand alchemy, but he was still far off from being able to perform it like Ed.

By the end of the day, he had the worst headache. Ed left, and he went and plopped down on his bed, exhausted. As soon as he hit the soft mattress, he was out.

Tomorrow after school would be another day of mental torture for Roy, but he knew it would all be worth it in the long run. He was going through this for himself, for his country, but mostly for Ed.

"Ed..." he mumbled in his sleep as he turned over.

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**See? I told you it suck :P Well, regardless, please review! No flames though.**


	10. Time To Train

**Wootness! Another chapter! I actually like this one. I find it to be a lot better than the other two of this sequel. The only problem is that it's kinda a lot happening at once, but whatever! And in the beginning of this, just go with it. Don't contradict me with your FMA knowledge of how Roy learned alchemy!! (Did I word that right?...Hmm...Oh well!) Haha! Anyways, please read and review! :)**

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"Whoa, I must say that I am absolutely impressed. Where did you learn to do that?" Ed asked. He reached out his hand to capture the smoke that drifted up in the sky from the extinguished flame. There was a blackened spot in the grass now from the where the flame had ignited. Roy had learned a lot in only four days.

"Gotta thank the internet for that one. I did some research after you left yesterday and found out about the different arrays. Did you know that alchemy is still practiced far east of Amestris? Anyways, I stayed up for hours trying to bring it to what I've got now," Roy said, grinning at his achievement of flame alchemy.

They were sitting in the grass in a secluded part of the park. It was late in the evening, but neither of them cared.

"So you're going to be a flame alchemist, eh?"

"I guess I am. I actually like it as opposed to the stuff we've been doing," Roy said slowly.

"Well, I think it suits you. I find it kinda sexy too," Ed said as he kissed Roy's neck. Roy pulled the small blond on top of him and they both fell back in the grass. Their lips connected passionately and every problem in the their lives seemed to melt away for the moment. When they broke away, they simply gazed into one another's eyes. Ed preferred what he saw in those black eyes he loved so much; he saw love and pride, not the confusion or fear as from before.

"Are you happy now?" Ed asked softly.

"Very," Roy replied and reached up to kiss Ed once more. "I don't have to worry anymore 'cause now I can protect you . "

Ed actually felt himself blush. To think that someone would go through the pain of learning alchemy just to ensure the protection of another was endearing to Ed.

"We have three days left, Roy," Ed said. Roy shifted their positions so that they were both on their sides, facing each other.

"I know, but let's only think of now, not later. I want these remaining days to be something I'll remember always. Even though I have alchemy now, I still don't know what's down the road and if...Well, nevermind. But no matter what happens, know that I will always love you," Roy said softly. He reached out his hand to cup Ed's cheek. Ed tilted his head into the warmth and closed his eyes.

He hated when Roy talked like this. He talked as if it was their last day together and they'd never see each other again, as if he was going to die right then and there. Ed couldn't bring himself to think like that, to think that death is what awaited them in their futures. Well, of course death was in their futures, he couldn't deny that at all, but he couldn't think that he might die _soon_. In that moment, he vowed to himself that he wouldn't let that happen. He vowed that he wouldn't let Roy's fear come true. He vowed to himself that he was going to do all in his power to protect Roy from that grim fate as well as himself.

In three days on February 15, they would be sent off to the training camp on the southern outskirts of the city for two weeks. Those three days went by at an unbearable pace. It felt like a dream how fast things went whizzing by, but the time that was spent with each other was exactly how Roy wanted it to be, unforgettable. There was no way Ed would be able to forget those three days, not even in death, and the same went for Roy too.

They were notified to be at the steps of Central Headquarters on Monday the 15 at 05:00. After a tearful farewell to the Rockbell's, Ed left. He met up with Roy and they went where instructed.

It was still dark outside. The sun was barely up and pale-pink and gold shades were barely streaking the horizon to the east. It was cold too. Ed shivered and crossed his arms over his chest. He hated the cold. Roy noticed this and wrapped his arm around Ed's shoulder to pull him close, sharing body warmth, as they waited with the others for the buses to arrive.

Once the buses arrived, they had to sign a list as their names were called in reverse alphabetical order. Roy kissed Ed's forehead before walking off as his name was called. Ed stood alone staring absently in front of him when everything came tumbling down.

"Edward?"

Ed tensed from the all too familiar voice that spoke from behind them. He knew that voice. He felt all of his blood freeze in his veins as images and memories came flooding back to him.

"Edward," the man said again, this time not a question and this time demanding. Ed didn't move. He was too much in shock. That didn't matter though. He was grabbed from behind by his shoulder and forced to face the man.

"Still as dumb as always, but I must say, you have grown up since the last time I saw you," the man said, licking his lips. He reached out with an icy hand to stroke Ed's cheek. Ed still couldn't bring himself to move. He couldn't believe that this bastard was all of a sudden back in his life.

As the man touched his cheek, his thumb trailed inward to rub Ed's bottom lip. From there, his hand went under Ed's chin to tilt his head and examine the youthful face.

"I've missed you, Ed," the man said in a lusty whisper as he stepped closer to the blond.

As Roy turned around from signing his name on the list, he saw Ed with some other man. He'd never seen this man before, but he didn't like how close they were to each other. He didn't like how this man was touching Ed, his hands kept moving down from Ed's cheek to his neck and back up again and the look in his eyes...Roy didn't like it. He couldn't see Ed's face though, so he wasn't sure what all of this meant. He wasn't sure if the touches were being forced or allowed. Roy took slow steps toward the two, but then he saw something happen to Ed, something that only he was allowed to do to him.

"I've missed you so much, Ed," the man said again as he grabbed Ed's forearm and jerked him forward. He pressed his lips against the blond's with a bruising force.

Ed didn't know what to do. Instinct told him to strike back and break free, but he didn't feel he had to right to do so. In a way, he belonged to this man. This was the man who stole his innocence. This was the man who claimed the small body by doing vile things.

As the man tried to push his tongue into Ed's mouth, all of his reasoning and logic came back to him. He didn't belong to this man. He belonged to Roy Mustang. He shoved the man back with his left hand and sent his automail fist into the man's jaw just as Roy came up. It was funny how much could happen in only a few seconds.

"You bastard, don't you _ever_ touch me again," Ed seethed through gritted teeth. Ed turned around and stalked off with his fist clenched tightly.

Roy looked back at Ed and then back at the man rubbing his jaw. Their eyes locked in a deadly challenge. They dared each other to do something. Now Roy knew who this man was. It was the same man who had mercilessly beaten and raped Ed over and over before ditching him at a hospital. He hated this man, and he had to fight to keep himself from beating the bastard to a bloody pulp.

With a smug smile, the other man walked past Roy. Roy clenched his fist. He wanted to punch the bastard, but that would be stupid around this many armed men. No one but Roy had seen Ed punch him, but with his luck, everyone would see Roy attack him.

He turned around and went off to join Ed on the bus. He spotted Ed at the very back of the bus, so he that's where he went. Roy couldn't tell if the small blond was angry or scared. It almost seemed like a mix. With a mental sigh, he wrapped his arm around Ed and pulled him close, placing a chaste kiss on his forehead. Screw whoever saw.

As he held Ed, Zolf Kimblee's words popped in his head: _"Oh, and Roy, I'd keep a close eye on that toy you've got following you around." _He realized just how sought after Ed was. It reminded him of hungry wolves to an injured sheep. With that bastard now in the picture, Roy knew he had to be on his toes, but he couldn't help but wonder if he really had to keep a constant eye on Ed now that Ed knew he had to ability to fight back and be effective. He shook the thought off as he sighed into Ed's hair, his hand draped over Ed's shoulder.

The sun had slowly made its way in the sky by the time they got to the training camp. They were each assigned dorm rooms, two people per room. For this first day, they had free run. Tomorrow would start the training. Today was just orientation, uniform fitting, and whatever they wanted to do.

They were appointed to their rooms. Roy's room was a few doors down from Ed's. Roy's roommate was someone new, but Ed's roommate wasn't known to him yet.

He threw his duffel bag on top of the bed nearest the window. He walked over to it and looked up at the sky. It was beautiful out here away from the city. The window faced east and he could clearly see the sun in all its glory.

"Ugh, you're my roommate? So insulted."

Ed turned around to see who was speaking and his heart dropped. Zolf Kimblee. Just his luck! Well, it could always be worse. He was thankful that it Kimblee instead of that bastard.

Trying to start off on the right foot, Ed walked over to him and stuck out his hand. Surprisingly, Kimblee took it. Once the handshake was over, Kimblee went over to his bed and plopped down on it. The silence that formed was awkward, to say the least. After a few minutes of the unbearable silence, it was broken.

"Alright, so let's set some rules," Kimblee said as he sat up in his bed and swumg his feet over the edge. "This is my bed. Keep off it unless you have something in mind, if you get my drift." He winked. "Don't complain to me about anything. I don't wanna hear you bitch at all. As far as I'm concerned, you're not even here. Just stick to your side of the room."

"Bastard," Ed muttered under his breath as he rolled his eyes.

"Ed, you're eighteen, right?" he asked a minute later, standing from the bed and slowly making his way towards the blond.

"Y-yes."

As Kimblee stepped forward, Ed stepped back until he couldn't anymore. His hands rested on the window sill. Kimblee reached out his hand.

"Don't touch me!" Ed yelled, squeezing his eyes shut and preparing himself for what he thought was about to happen. He felt the barest touch of Kimblee's fingertips on his cheek.

"Relax, kid, you had fuzz on your cheek. It was bothering me," Kimblee said and stepped away, flicking the fuzz on his finger to float in the air. He walked back over to his bed. "I'm not _that_ bad of a person, well, so long as you don't tempt me."

Not wanting to get into any further discussion with Kimblee, Ed went down the hall to find Roy. He knocked on the door frame and caught the attention of the two men inside.

"Oh, Ed," Roy said, walking over to him. He bent down slightly to kiss Ed's lips for a brief second. Ed noticed that Roy's roommate went red-faced. He was rather dorky looking with big glasses, and Ed wondered why the military would recruit someone with such bad eyesight.

"Fuery, this is Ed," Roy said.

"Nice to meet you," Ed said trying to be polite as possible and once again he stuck out his hand. Fuery took it, and they smiled at each other.

"Good! Friends already! I'll be back in a minute, 'kay?" Roy said. Ed nodded and Roy left the room.

"Um...excuse me if I'm stepping over a line, but are you and Roy...um...a couple?" Fuery asked.

"Yep, we sure are," Ed replied in a proud voice.

"Oh, well that's great. He seems like a nice guy," he said.

"Yeah." That was all Ed could really say. He wasn't the greatest at making conversation, so things got awkward quick.

"How long have you two been together?" he asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Three years in May," Ed replied.

"Wow," Fuery said. "How did you meet him?"

Apparently, this Fuery guy was either a very nosy person or just a sucker for romantic stuff. Trying to be nice, Ed went through the story of their meeting, of how to help his friend get a date with Roy, he'd be Roy's slave for a week. He told him how it just sorta happened, their love. Ed left out some of the details though like the really _heated_ moments. Ed never noticed Roy propped up against the door frame, listening.

Fuery looked at Ed with clear interest. The way he was drawn into the story made Ed think he was just a romantic, not necessarily nosy.

Ed jumped with surprise as Roy came up behind him and grabbed him by the waist.

"I love that story," he whispered in his ear while pulling him close. Fuery turned quickly away from the affectionate couple. Realizing the embarrassment they placed on the newcomer, Roy let go and they backed away from each other.

"Oh, sorry about that, Fuery," Roy said with a weird smirk. "Well, we better get going. Orientation's going to start in a few minutes, and I don't want to find out what they do to late arrivals."

With that said, the three them went off to find to auditorium. They had to sit in the back, but they didn't really mind any.

It was strange how everyone was acting today. It was as if no one was taking this seriously. Maybe the gravity of it just hadn't hit everyone yet or maybe everyone was just enjoying their last day before the pain of training tomorrow. Today seemed like a dream almost. It was so surreal. Even Roy, who had been upset days prior, seemed lighthearted. Ed just shrugged.

The orientation was boring like orientations usually were. The uniformed man on the stage said basically the same thing over in different ways about how they should be proud to fight for their country.

After the orientation, they were sent to a room to be fitted for uniforms. They got the classic blue uniform that the military wore, and they got their training uniform of a plain grey tee-shirt and camouflage pants, complete with black combat boots. Their sizes were written down, and they were told that their uniforms would be brought up to their rooms later.

After that, it was time to indulge themselves in a lovely meal of cafeteria food. Oh, joy...It didn't matter where you went in the world, cafeteria food sucked. Period. End of story. But food was food, so they all just shrugged and dug in.

As Ed ate, he got a terrible feeling. He felt like he was being watched. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He looked up from his plate, and his gaze locked with the man a few tables away. Roy, sitting across from Ed and at an off-angle, looked back to see what he was looking at and shifted so that he was cutting off their connection. That did not make the man happy at all.

Ed smiled uneasily at Roy before returning his gaze down to his tray of food. He couldn't help but wonder why he was here. His foster father was above the maximum conscription age, so why was he here? Ed had a terrible feeling that he joined just to claim his property again. He shuddered as images of what could very well happen ran through his mind.

He felt something shoving against his right leg, and he looked up to meet Roy's gaze. Roy gave him a small smile and jerked his head for Ed to follow him as he stood up. Fuery figured that they wanted privacy, so he didn't follow along.

Roy led Ed outside of the cafeteria into the long, empty hallway.

"Ed, are you okay?" he asked concernedly.

"He just...wasn't supposed to be here. I was never supposed to see him again," Ed said in a whisper, eyes downcast. Roy reached out to lift Ed's head.

"Ed, I swear that so long as I'm standing, I won't let him touch you. I'll kill him if he lays a hand on you," Roy said. As Ed looked in his eyes, he saw that Roy was very serious. "And Ed, promise you'll tell me if Kimblee does anything. He told me earlier that you two are sharing a room. The same goes for him too; if he touches you, I'll kill him."

After that discussion, they moved on with the day. The rest of the day went as normally as expected in these new living arrangements. Ed was relieved that night when he went to bed; he was relieved that Kimblee kept to his side of the room.

But anyways...

Tomorrow would be the day. They were instructed to be out on the training field for 05:00. They were warned that late arrivals would be punished.

The buzzing of alarm clocks went off too quickly. Eight hours of sleep felt like only eight minutes. Reluctantly, Ed got out of bed and stumbled around the room in a groggy daze to get ready. Kimblee was in the same foggy mood too. It was just too early. At least they weren't the only ones yawning their way to the dewy field. The only person who seemed to be in high spirits was none other than Kain Fuery.

Kain Fuery. He was a very perculiar person. Roy and Ed found out last night that he was only sixteen. The State had to beg him to join. He wasn't to go on the field like everyone else though, he was going to work behind the scenes. It turned out that the little twerp was a genius when it came to technology. He could even disarm bombs! And when he told the couple this, he laughed at their disbelief. "You didn't think they'd let someone as blind as me shoot a gun, did you? I'd probably end up taking out half of our own people!" He had laughed. It didn't take long at all for a firm friendship to form with the kid.

As they walked down the hallway, Fuery broke off to go where he was supposed to go. No training field for him. His training was in the technology department of the camp where others like him were sharing their knowledge.

Along with the many others, Ed and Roy stepped on the training field. The torture began with a yelling drill sergeant and sharp whistle cutting in the air.

Sprinting, jogging, jumping jacks, pull-ups, push-ups, an obstacle course, more push-ups, more jogging. It was hell. Hours of hell. Ed had it a bit easier than the others though. It's not like automail tired out or got sore, but that didn't mean he didn't plop on his bed sore and exhausted elsewhere on his body that night.

_'Two weeks of this!? Ugh, I'm never gonna make it,' _Ed thought as he laid in his bed that night. He wanted to roll over so badly, but his body wouldn't let him. Automail or not, he was in pain. These next few days were going to suck.

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**Hope you enjoyed reading! Please review!**


	11. Alchemists Reborn

**Yay! Another chapter! From now on some of the material is on the border of M rated, just so you know. It's like right there on the edge of being M rated, but it's not too bad nor (as of right now) too frequent. Anyways, please read and review!**

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_"I've missed you, Edward," he said, his hot breath heavy against Ed's bare skin. He pushed his tongue deep into the blond's mouth as his hands ran up and down Ed's sides. When he broke away from Ed's lips, he made a wet trail down Ed's neck._

_"S-stop," Ed pleaded weakly. He cursed himself for the tears that fell from the corners of his eyes._

_He screamed for help as he was harshly turned over and taken once more. The entire time he begged for the older man to stop, but that did little._

_The older man kept saying Ed's name over and over, but the voice changed after the third time and he could feel something pushing against his shoulder._

As his eyes shot open, he swung, but luckily the person who was trying to wake him was quick enough to back away without getting hit.

"Whoa, whoa, chill out!" Kimblee said after dodging the strike.

Ed could hardly breathe. His heart was beating like crazy, and his mind was buzzing. His eyes looked at his roommate with blurred vision. He took a minute to calm himself down, concentrating hard on getting everything back to normal. To his surprise, Kimblee sat on his bed next to him.

"You were talking in your sleep; well, _talking_ is too mild a word. You were nearly screaming. It sounded like you were having one hell of a bad dream. Are you okay?" he asked. Ed was surprised by the amount of concern in his voice.

"I'm fine," Ed replied sharply. He was still shaken by the dream. It brought back so much pain, pain he thought he'd locked away years ago. He thought he could feel his mind stripping itself back to what it was, teetering on the edge of insanity. He brought his knees up to his chest and rested his forehead on the top of his knees.

"What were you dreaming about?" Kimblee asked.

Ed contemplated on telling him, but he didn't think Kimblee would understand.

"It was nothing," he said. He didn't bother looking up at Kimblee.

"You're such a terrible liar. The things you were saying weren't nothing. Ed, you were begging for whatever was happening in your dream to stop. Dreams like that don't just happen, so what did happen?"

"I-" He broke down as images hit his mind. He couldn't stop himself for what he did next. He buried his face in his hands and let the tears fall.

Kimblee had no clue what to do. He didn't know whether he should hold the blond and try to comfort him or what. He kinda panicked though. He stood up quickly from the bed and made a movement to take the blond in his arms, then thought better of it and let out a frustrated sigh. He quickly went over to his nightstand and grabbed his cellphone. He dialed Roy's cell and after the second ring, he picked up.

"Hello?" Roy asked into the phone in a groggy voice. It was three in the morning.

"Get over here quick. Ed-"

The line went dead and in barely a second, Roy was at the door. He just opened it and went over to Ed. Fuery followed in behind him. Roy sat on the bed and took his lover in his arms. He ran his fingers through Ed's long hair. He would bet his life on what was the cause of all of this.

"Ed, I'm here now. It's okay. I won't let him do that to you. Never. It was only a dream," Roy said softly, among other calming words until Ed calmed down and his sobs turned into little sniffles.

"I'm sorry, Roy. I'm so sorry," Ed said in a cracked whisper for having disturbed Roy's sleep as well as Kimblee's and Fuery's.

"Nonsense, I'm here for you any time of the day and night," Roy said, kissing Ed's forehead.

Kimblee took Fuery by the wrist and pulled him out of the room to give the couple their privacy. They stood in the hallway to wait.

"They must really love each other, huh?" Fuery whispered. They didn't want to wake up anyone else.

"Yeah," Kimblee replied with a simple nod.

"What happened?"

"Kid just had a bad dream, that's all."

"About what?"

"I dunno, but I have a good guess. Anyways, kid, go back to bed. You're not needed here," Kimblee said. Not wanting to argue, Fuery shrugged and went back to his room. Kimblee walked back into his own room to see what was going on. Roy was still holding Ed in his arms and whispering things in his ear. Kimblee went over to his bed and watched the two. It was sweet how much they cared for each other. It made Kimblee want to gag though, but he couldn't help but look.

After a few minutes, he watched as Roy laid Ed back down. The kid was asleep. Roy walked over to Kimblee, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Thanks," Roy said.

"Yeah, whatever," Kimblee said indifferently. Roy looked back at Ed and then back at Kimblee, biting his lower lip.

"Kimblee, I know we've never really been friends or anything and I probably shouldn't be asking this of you, but can you look after him?"

"He's your toy. You should look after him yourself."

"No, what I mean is if ever I _can't_ be around to look after him," Roy said. There he went again, talking as if he was going to die right then and there. "I pray that it doesn't, but with this war, I-"

"Yeah, yeah. You don't have to say it."

"Well, listen, there's someone here who wants to hurt Ed. Someone very bad. Someone who's hurt him before. Please, I beg of you, if this man ever approaches Ed and I'm not there, kick his ass for me."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Now can you please go? I'd like to get some more sleep. We do have to be on the field at seven," Kimblee said.

Roy nodded and before leaving, he went back over to Ed to softly kiss his lips and forehead.

"I love you, Edward," he whispered and hoped Ed could hear him. After he left, Kimblee sighed and went back to sleep.

As Roy laid in his bed trying to get back to sleep, his restless mind wouldn't let him. He couldn't figure out what had triggered Ed's nightmare. As far as he knew, Ed and his foster father hadn't crossed paths since that first day. That was six days ago on Monday; it was Saturday now. He couldn't figure out why.

He sighed softly and tried again to will himself into sleep by closing his eyes. No luck though. He wanted to be with Ed now. He wanted nothing more than to hold the blond in his arms as he slept. But he couldn't do that.

Sleep was far from him as the night started to die away, drawing its last breaths before the day was born. The only thing that gave him some comfort was an image of Kimblee kicking that bastard's ass though that image saddened him too. He wasn't in it. He shook the image out of his head as he turned over to look at the small, digital clock on the nightstand. 5:57.

After a quick stretch, he got up from his bed and went over to Fuery's. He gently shook the much younger teen trying to coax him awake. With Fuery now awake, they got ready for the day.

They walked out of the room together at the same time Ed and Kimblee were walking out of their's. Kimblee broke off from the group for some reason, but the three of them went off to the cafeteria for some breakfast.

The cafeteria was buzzing with life. Every morning, the same topic floated through the air. Everyone talked about the war, mostly about the causalities. Since the declaration of war between Amestris and Philion, there has been a count of forty-six known causalities to the Amestris side. Unfortunately, Amestris was losing severely.

As they ate, they carried a casual conversation between them. None of them mentioned last night's event though. Fuery told them what his training was like which sounded like a foreign language to Roy and Ed 'cause he tended to forget that the two were "technologically retarded." He told them that they were teaching him how to send off missiles from the home base which he was very excited about. Roy and Ed didn't have much to tell though. Their training was pretty straightforward, just exercise and learning how to shoot a gun.

Ed was in the middle of a sentence when someone came up behind him and pulled his braid causing his head to go back to get an upside-down image.

"Too long. Go see the barber now," the uniformed superior ordered, then let go of Ed's hair and walked off.

_'Oh, no. This is going to be interesting,' _Roy thought to himself as he watched Ed obey the order and stand up.

"Good luck," Roy said smirking.

"Bite me," Ed spat as he walked off. Roy just laughed.

As Ed walked out of one building and into another, he muttered a chain curses under his breath. He loved his long hair, and he knew that Roy loved it too. The barber's shop was marked by a red and white spiral-stripped pole. He walked in. The bell above the door announced his arrival.

"Yes, another victim! I mean...customer," the old man said as he turned around with a pair of scissors in his hand. He was a kooky looking man with black hair that had a single stripe of snow-white running through it. He reminded Ed of someone out of an old horror film like a professor of a lab or something.

"Come on now. Sit, sir, sit! I don't bite...hard," he said with a laugh. Ed reluctantly sat in the chair that the man had pointed at. He took out Ed's hair tie and ran his fingers through the golden locks, combing the braid out.

"So much hair. It's so pretty too. Shame it's gotta come off," he said as he starting cutting off hair. "You don't seem to like this very much. Don't worry though, it's worth it. Trust me, I know all too well. Back when I was your age, I went was sent out on the field too. There was a skirmish. I had long hair like your's. Almost got me killed. Damn bastard grabbed me by it and almost slit my throat. I got lucky that day that my buddy was there to back me up. Saved my life. Shame he died in the process though."

Ed was only half listening to the story. He didn't know this man, so he didn't really care. The man just kept on talking. He was quite the chatterbox.

"There, all done. See? That wasn't so bad," he said as he turned Ed's chair around so that Ed could see the result. He ran his fingers through it. It was strange when his fingers ran out of the hair long before what it used to. He hadn't short hair like this since he was a kid.

"Well, since you're already here, how about a shave?" the man asked.

"Uh...No thanks," Ed said and muttered a quick thanks for the haircut before leaving.

He went straight to the training field. They were jogging and Ed simply joined in. Roy kinda lagged behind to get near him. He smiled at the short hair. He'd never seen Ed with short hair, and it looked nice to him though he was going to miss the long braid.

Because it was Saturday, they didn't train long, but after the training they were instructed to get into their blue military uniforms. The Fuhrer was coming to evaluate the new recruits, and he supposedly had some important news for them.

"Wow-wee, Roy!" Ed exclaimed at seeing the raven-haired man in the blue uniform. Ed thought it looked sexy on Roy. He wasn't too fond of the uniform on himself though.

All the trainees walked together out to the courtyard where they were told to go. They got into straight lines and were called to attention in a salute. The Fuhrer walked in front of them, examining them. He seemed impressed with some and disappointed with others. When he was done, he backed away and faced them.

"I hope you've all been paying attention these past few days because it's time," the Fuhrer said loudly. His voice cut through the still air. "Because of the devastating outcome of the most recent battle, our troops stationed on the border have been cut down considerably. It's time for you to do your purpose."

_'What!? They're sending us a week early!?'_ Ed thought in panic. He risked a glance at Roy who was standing next to him and was fairly certain the same thought was running through his mind as well. _'I can't let this happen. It's too soon. We're not even fully trained yet. I've gotta do something.'_

Ed being the "genius" that he was, stepped out of line and pushed his way out of the troop.

"Elric!" his drill sergeant yelled. The Fuhrer hushed any further yelling with a simple wave of his hand.

"Three days," Ed said simply. The Fuhrer lifted his eyebrow. "Give me three days."

Ed turned around and waved at Roy to meet him. Once Roy made it to his side, he seemed just as confused.

"Sir, give me three days to teach this," Ed said as he clapped his hands and transmuted his automail arm into a deadly blade. Everyone gasped in surprise. Ed casted a glance at Roy, and he finally understood.

Roy seemed to always be prepared for everything as he pulled a marker out of his pocket and quickly drew the array on the palm of his hand. He raised his hand in the air and went through the alchemical process to produce a pillar of flames.

"Sir, if you give me just three days, I can give you your State Alchemists and this war will be won," Ed said confidently.

"Alchemy? You do realize how great of a risk you're taking with this, don't you?" the Fuhrer asked.

"Yes, Sir. But I know that if we bring the State Alchemists back, then the bloodshed will stop and Death will leave our side."

"Did you teach him alchemy?" the Fuhrer asked, looking at Roy.

"Yes, Sir. He learned in four days, but I know that I can teach it in three."

The Fuhrer seemed to be thinking deeply on it. They were desperate to win this war. Ed knew that. Everyone knew that.

"Fine. Three days is all you get. If you should fail, then there will be hefty consequences for your inappropriate actions today," the Fuhrer said.

After that, everyone was dismissed, and he instantly regretted what he just did. Where was he even going to find the people willing enough to learn alchemy? He had no clue on that.

It was noon and everyone had changed out of their uniforms and went off to ear in the cafeteria. As they ate, Ed was struck with an idea on how to get people for this little adventure. He stood up in his chair and placed his fingers in his mouth to produce a loud whistle. Everyone stopped talking and eating to look at him.

"If anyone is interested in alchemy, please come see me," he said and that was it.

By the end of the day, there was six of them all together. There himself, Roy, a very muscular man name Alex Louis Armstrong, Zolf Kimblee, someone named Basque Grand, and someone named Giolio Comanche. It wasn't a lot, but hopefully, it was enough. Roy agreed to help him teach the other four though, so that was a lot of help to Ed.

The six of them were holed up in Ed's room. It was rather crowded especially since Armstrong and Basque Grand were very big people.

The first thing Ed went over was the rules. That was the most important thing.

"First of all, there are rules that have to be followed. These rules cannot be broken or the consequences could very well kill you. There's no way to bend the rules either. Bending is the same as breaking when it comes to alchemy," Ed said in a very serious tone. His automail was visible to them. He placed his flesh hand on the cold steel. "This is the price I paid for breaking those rules. I lost my arm, my leg, and my brother because I broke the rules. " The regret from that life-changing day was clear in Ed's eyes as he spoke. "You can't bring the dead back to life."

Ed made sure that they knew that alchemy wasn't a game. He made sure that they knew it was real and the consequences of acting foolishly when using alchemy were real too. Once he was positive they all understood, he began to teach them. It was painstakingly slow at first, but these guys were a lot smarter than Ed thought, even Kimblee.

Ed was filled with pride by the third and final day. All of them had learned the basics in only a matter of hours and all of them had developed their own style. It made him smile.

Ed presented the alchemists to the Fuhrer, as well as the rest of the soldiers and trainees, on that third day. All of them performed their alchemy, and needless to say, everyone was thoroughly impressed. The Fuhrer approved greatly of it and hope for Amestris victory returned to everyone.

The next day, there was a surprise ceremony thrown for the six men. Over night, a lot had been produced.

The Fuhrer stood on the stage in the auditorium in front of all the soldiers and trainees.

"Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist," he announced and handed him the once-forgotten pocket watch of the State Alchemists.

"Roy Mustang the Flame Alchemist," he said and handed him not only the watch but a pair of white gloves with his special array sewn on the back.

"Alex Louis Armstrong the Strong Arm Alchemist," he said, handing him the watch and a unique pair of brass knuckles with his array on it.

"Zolf J. Kimblee the Red Lotus Alchemist," he said, handing him the watch. The Fuhrer didn't hand him anything extra though. Kimblee had his alchemy symbol marked on the palm of his hand and later that day, he was going to get the symbol permanently tattooed there.

"Basque Grand the Iron Blood Alchemist." And finally, "Giolio Comanche the Silver Alchemist."

With that said, it was final.

The State Alchemists were back.

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**Hope you enjoyed reading! Sorry that the ending to this kinda blah. I kinda just lost interesting...And I didn't feel like going into detail on the three days that were spent learning alchemy. And for those of you who don't know, Giolio Comanche is from the manga only. His ability is that he can turn any object into steel. Information curtisy of Wikipedia. Haha. I don't know a lot about Giolio Comanche or Basque Grand, so don't expect them to play any major role in this.**

**Well, anyways, please review!**

**Oh, and I molded the barber after good ol' Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Figured I'd have some fun. And sorry that Ed got a haircut :p**


	12. Survival Is Key

**So, here's another one. Majority of this is just spur of the moment, thrown together, or however you want to say it. Well, I just want to let everyone know that the updates won't be so frequent anymore. I've got band camp. Yeah, that's right. So that's gonna take a lot of my time, and after that, I start school again. Oh, joy. Anyways, please read and review! And thanks so very, very, very much for all the reviews!! They really motivate me!**

**Also, I'll be going over this chapter tomorrow to try to deminish any errors. Won't have time to do so tonight, so just try to ignore it until then! This is one of the shorter chapters too.**

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"What was it that the Fuhrer gave you?" the blond asked. They went into Roy's room after the ceremony.

"Gloves," Roy replied with a shrug. He didn't understand the point of it. Fuery took the white pair of gloves in his hands and gasped.

"Don't you realize what this is? It's pyrotex! With this, you're not going to be someone to mess with," Fuery said excitedly.

"Pyrotex?" they asked in unison. Neither Ed nor Roy had ever heard of it before.

"Yep, pyrotex or ignition cloth. It's a specially made material that's embedded with minerals and chemicals. It kinda works like flint and tender in one, I guess. I never understood how it was made or how it really works. It's some government secret."

He handed the gloves back to Roy who slipped them on his hands. He wasn't big on wearing gloves and it felt weird on his skin.

"Well, let's go try them out. I'm curious," Roy said and stood up.

The three of them walked out past the official training field. Past the training field was acres of government owned rural lands. They got far away from the buildings so as not to cause some accident. That would be tragic.

They stopped when they saw someone was already out there. Alex was already testing out his gift from the Fuhrer. They watched as he smashed the giant rocks and sent them flying through the air in pointed cone shapes.

Roy was struck with an idea as soon as he saw what the Strong Arm alchemist was capable of doing. His gloves were still on his hands and he snapped his fingers and sent a flame to mingle with the other alchemist's transmutation. The mix of earth and fire produced a deadly attack. Armstrong turned around with an impressed look. Roy was excited that it had actually worked. Armstrong walked up to Roy. They looked up at the giant man.

"Amazing! Brilliant!" he praised.

Ed and Fuery sat down in the grass and watched the other two perfect the maneuver.

"Hey, Fuery, what exactly are you going to be doing in this war?" Ed asked.

"Whatever they need me to do, I guess. Launching missiles, communications, tapping into lines, securing lines, checking strategies, making maps, casualty count, disarming bombs, fixing tanks. I don't know. Whatever they tell me to do," the teen said with a shrug.

_'Guess we really are just dogs of the military,'_ Ed thought to himself.

"What do y-"

"Watch out!" Roy and Alex yelled as a barrage of flaming missiles came shooting their way.

Ed pushed Fuery down flat and clapped his hands. He placed them on the ground and a wall of tightly compacted rock and soil went shooting upwards to block them from the accidental attack. Luckily, the wall was thick enough and strong enough to take all of the attack.

Roy and Armstrong came running up frantically.

"Ed, Fuery, are you okay?" Roy asked.

"We're fine," Ed answered for both of them.

"Phew, that could've been bad," Roy said with relief that no one got hurt.

Armstrong ran his hand over the side of Ed's transmutation in awe.

"Quick thinking," he said. Ed just smiled and so did Fuery who was very grateful to have had Ed around. "Is this all you can do though?" Armstrong asked in a taunting way. Out of the six alchemists, Roy was the only one who really knew what Ed was capable of doing with his abilities.

Ed smiled, clapped his hands, and changed his automail into a blade.

"Wanna find out?" he asked. Armstrong nodded and got ready.

"Wait, hold on! I don't think this is such a good idea. I mean, y'all could really get hurt!" Fuery said.

"If we can't beat each other, then there's no way we can beat the Philions on the field. All this would be a waste," Ed said. They all nodded, agreeing. Fuery just stepped back...a lot.

"I'll be ref. When I say stop, you better both stop, and please try not to kill each other," Roy said as he stepped back up too.

Roy was very curious about this. Ed was a lot smaller than Armstrong both in height and in weight, but that probably wasn't a bad thing in this situation. Ed had more speed and agility than the bigger man. But Armstrong was a lot stronger than Ed. If he could just get his hands on the blond, it would probably be over.

Right before the spar began, Ed decided to play things safe as he restored his arm to its original form. He didn't want to accidentally kill the guy! Besides, he knew he wouldn't need the blade; he'd already assessed his opponent. If he stayed out of his reach, then things would be okay or so he hoped. All he needed to worry about whas the man's use of alchemy. Ed gave a quick look at the surrounding. There weren't a lot of places for Armstrong to pull from anymore, so it was in Ed's favor.

The fight began with Armstrong performing his usual attack of transmuting rock into projectiles. Ed made a barrier like he'd done before to block the attack. He ran out from behind it to stand in front of it. Armstrong did the same thing and again Ed made a barrier. The action repeated four more times until there were four tall walls of compacted earth standing in a domino formation. Ed quickly jumped onto one and climbed up until he made it on top. Armstrong simply stood, confused. Ed clapped his hands and transmuted all four walls into a large earthen cannon that faced Armstrong. He smiled at Armstrong's widened eyes. He clapped his hands once more to activate the cannon. It sent out a blast of loose soil that buried the big man. He was lost in a pile of dirt. Ed laughed as he transmuted the cannon back into its original form of soil.

"Stop. Ed wins," Roy declared after a moment of silence had formed. Ed and Roy went over to the pile of dirt to dig out the Strong Arm Alchemist. Armstrong stood up and shook himself, dirt fell from his clothes. His face and bald head was smudged with dirt.

Armstrong walked past them muttering things under his breath. "A cannon!? How the -mumble, mumble, mumble-" He went and joined Fuery in the distance. Roy and Ed joined them shortly after.

The four of them sat in grass and started a casual conversation as they passed around the bottle of water that Fuery had. There was about half the bottle left and Ed had it in his hands when Roy started talking.

"Come on. I wanna beat you," he said to Ed.

"Think you can, Flame?" Ed asked.

"I know I can," Roy replied and stood up to go out where the other battle had taken place.

Ed smiled as he stood up too. He was still holding the bottle of water in his hand which as he approached Roy, he hid behind his back.

"I can beat you with one hand, Roy," Ed said to explain why his hand was behind his back. Roy grunted in disbelief at his blond's overconfidence.

"Fine," he said.

"Wait, before we start, can I have a kiss?" Ed asked sweetly. Roy wasn't one to turn down those soft lips, so he walked up to Ed. He reached out his gloved hands to rest on Ed's shoulders in the same way he'd done so many times before and that's when Ed made his move. He took the bottle of water and poured it over both of Roy's gloved hands. Ed used Roy's shock to his advantage as he transmuted his automail arm and placed it at Roy's neck.

"You're dead," Ed said. Roy lifted his fingers to Ed's own neck in a snap position.

"You're going with me."

"Think again, Flame. Wet gloves won't make a spark," Ed said smirking. "Now you know you're useless in the rain."

Roy chuckled lightly and brought his fingers back down to his side. Ed's blade-arm was still Roy's throat. He really wasn't letting his guard down at all.

"Ed, this may sound weird to you, but this is kinda a turn on," Roy said. His black eyes seemed to shimmer with a certain neglected emotion.

He smiled as he grabbed Ed's metal wrist and pulled the blade away from his neck. With his hold still on Ed's wrist, he gently pulled Ed forward. He bumped his nose playfully with Ed's before kissing him passionately.

"What are they doing?" Fuery asked. They were too far away to hear anything, but they could still see. Armstrong placed his large hand over the teen's eyes just as Roy pulled Ed to the ground.

"We can't do this here, y'know," Ed said softly. He was straddling Roy's hips and bent over his body.

"Yeah, I know, but it's fun to freak Fuery out," Roy said with a laugh. He lifted his head to kiss Ed again before pulling him off of his hips and into his arms. The small body he held snuggled up close to body warmth. They just stared up at the sky together.

Holding Ed. That's what he'd been craving for days. Just to hold him in his arms like this. He let out a long, relaxed sigh into Ed's short golden hair as he tightened his grip on him. He never wanted to let go. He wanted to stay like this with him for eternity.

"Hey, Roy..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you," Ed said in the softest voice as he looked up at Roy. His amber eyes caught the gold of the sun making him look absolutely stunning to Roy.

Roy simply smiled at his blond. He didn't need to say it, his eyes spoke for him.

Time seemed to stop just for them. Neither of them spoke. They just listened to each other's steady breathing and the sounds of nature that surrounded them. It was one of those moments that great authors would write about in their romance novels. Everything seemed so perfect. The sky was beautiful, the birds were chirping merrily, there was a 'sweetness' to the air, and they were together. Perfection to a tee. Well, until Ed reminded Roy what was to happen tomorrow.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Ed asked.

"I actually don't know. I like to think that I am. It's just human instincts," Roy said with a shrug.

Tomorrow the trainees were to be separated into two teams and sent out into the nearby forest to survive for two days. Each individual would be armed with a paintball gun and additional ammunition. Once you got shot in any vital area, torso or head, then you had to leave and return to the camp. By the end of the second day, whichever team had the most people standing would be announced the winners and given some special prize.

"I think we're going to be on the same team," Ed added.

"I hope so. I wouldn't like to have to shoot you down," Roy teased. Ed just laughed.

They stayed there motionless and quiet for a few more minutes before finally getting up and leaving. Fuery and Armstrong had long since left. It was late in the evening when they returned to their own rooms.

"What's with the smile?" Kimblee asked as his roommate walked into the room, then he saw some familiarity in the smile. "Ew. Well that would explain why the kid's all freaked out."

Ed rolled his eyes and laid in his bed.

"So...did you two?" Kimblee asked.

"Mind your own business, bastard," Ed said, throwing his pillow at him.

"Just being curious. Sorry that's a crime." Kimblee threw the pillow back.

That night, Ed slept peacefully. His dreams were sweet and even romantic. He woke that morning feeling well-rested and wonderful.

They had at least two hours before the survival test began, so he went down the hall. The door to Roy and Fuery's room was cracked open and he slowly pushed it open. Roy was sitting at the desk with his back to him. Fuery was nowhere in sight. Smiling, he crept up behind him and draped his arms over his shoulders. He gently nibbled on his ear. Roy yelped, and Ed found out that that was not Roy at all. Ed gasped as he went stumbling back in surprise and embarrassment; he fell hard on his ass. Fuery stood up beet-red with his eyes wide and mouth gaped open like an idiot.

From behind them came a burst of laughter. Ed turned his head to see who. Of course Roy saw what'd happened. Just his luck.

"Cheating on me, Ed?" Roy laughed. He walked over to his fallen lover to help him to his feet.

"Fuery, I...uh...sorry," Ed said, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"You okay, Fuery?" Roy asked lightheartedly and smacked his back in a friendly manner. Fuery couldn't speak. "Look what you did, Ed! You scarred the kid!"

"It's not my fault you both look alike from behind!"

After they were able to get Fuery's legs to work again, they went down to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. After that, they went to the training field where they were being given their survival kits. The survival test began.

Luckily, Roy and Ed were on the same team. It was red versus blue. Fuery wasn't required to take the test, but he wanted to involved, so he signed up as an on-field referee to make sure that no one was wiping off paint marks or staying on the field after being critically shot.

"All we have to do is stick together," Ed whispered. Their team leaders had assigned Ed and Roy, as well as several other teammates, as perimeter lookouts. Ed and Roy were sitting high up in a tree branch.

"I don't think we're supposed to be talking," Roy whispered back.

They'd been there for hours. The sun was starting to fall out of the sky.

Ed reached out over to Roy and then pointed at someone in the distance, someone from the other team. Why he was this far away from his team was a big question. Maybe he was looking for food or maybe he was just exploring. They didn't know.

Slowly, Ed and Roy both picked up their guns and aimed it at their prey. They glanced at each other quickly before shooting. Both of their shots landed in the opponents chest. He cursed under his breath and reluctantly left the forest with his hands up in the air so that no one would shoot him again.

"We kick ass," Roy whispered.

Not long after that, one of their teammates in blue told them to come down. They ate and slept among the others under the stars.

At some point in the night, there was a lot of shooting and yelling. They were being ambushed by the red team and the ambush was being led by none other than Zolf Kimblee.

Ed and Roy grabbed their guns and fired. They stayed close together as they ducked and weaved to try to survive this attack. Ed got shot, but in his leg which didn't call him out of the test. He kept on shooting. They all did. Stupid red team! Thought they could win. Pft! As if! Well...until they had reinforcements show up...

The blue team was surrounded by red, and they had to surrender. The remaining blue team members were disarmed and placed on their knees with their hands behind their heads. There were three referees around them to moderate things. They couldn't have them killing each other.

Kimblee walked up to them, Ed and Roy specifically. He wore a satisfied, almost sadistic looking, smile on his face.

"Give me one reason why shouldn't have you all shot down?" he asked. All of the surrounding reds had their guns pointed at the blues.

"Because we already won," Ed said smirking. As soon as the words left his mouth, a gun went off and struck Kimblee in the back of the head. From the trees, the red members were being picked off. Now it was a game of dodge the paintballs for the grounded blues. Some of them got up and grabbed the guns out of the reds' hands and started taking them out themselves.

Little was left to either side by the end of the skirmish. The reds retreated into the woods to regroup and strategize, and the blues counted their losses. They'd lost about fourteen, give or take, people to their side. They counted eighteen people remaining on their team.

The remainder of that night was surprisingly peaceful. Roy and Ed volunteered to keep watch until morning.

Just as the sun started climbing upwards in the sky, a strategy was developed. A third of them were to near the red team's camp and slowly pick them off one by one from the treetops. As they did that, another third of them would actually break into the camp. And the remaining third would just ambush in a few minutes later to replenish any of their fallen comrades.

An hour after sunrise, they put the plan to action. Ed and Roy were among the first group to go mainly because they had good aim. They climbed up into trees and started picking them off, steadily making their shots closer to the camp. They got all of the surrounding watchmen out before anyone realized what was going on.

They gave the signal for the second group to go in and all hell broke loss, especially when the third group went in.

It'd been years since one team had been wiped out completely and long before the time limit.

The prize was completely worth it though. When they got back to the camp, the cafeteria was filled with food. Steak, shrimp, pizza, pasta, and everything else in the world. It was real food. The State got one of the most exquisite, most expensive, and most highly praised restaurants in Central to cater. It was great!

That night was spent restlessly though. Tomorrow would be the day. The first day to beat Death and play Death.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed reading! Please review!**

**:)**


	13. Hope

**I'm sorry!!**

* * *

_'I hope nothing happens to them,' _Fuery thought as he looked at the small, photo-booth picture. When Roy was packing his bags, Fuery saw that he had a stack of something so he asked about it. Roy wordlessly tossed the bound together pictures to him.

He took the rubber-band off and examined each picture carefully. They were mostly of Ed and several of them were taken off-center. They must've been taken on the run in a park. But not all of them were like that. There were one or two from what must've been Ed's birthday. His excitement at seeing a black motorcycle with a red bow in the driveway. Another of him holding a black helmet in his hands while kissing Roy's cheek. There was one that made Fuery blush furiously. It was of Roy and Ed laying in bed, their bodies bare except for a sheet that covered their lower regions. It was clear on their faces what act had just been performed; they looked exhausted, satisfied, and in love. He quickly went to the next picture. The next one made Fuery star at it for the longest time. It was one of those photo-booth pictures. The top of which was torn from being separated for the set. It was of them kissing passionately. Fuery smiled at the picture.

He bundled the pictures together again with the small, square picture on top and handed them back to Roy. Roy looked at the the small picture and took it in his hands. Fuery watched as he turned slightly away and brought it up to his lips before tucking it in the chest pocket of his military uniform.

That was over a week ago. That was the day they left their training behind. The image was still so clear in his mind. He couldn't think about anything other than that couple, now broken and in despair. It was a terrible attack, and poor Ed. Poor Roy...

He couldn't bring himself to believe that it had happened. That Roy was...He shook his head. Fuery couldn't even think the word. Death. It made him shudder. But something in the back of his mind told him that nothing was as it seemed, that something was wrong. Roy couldn't be dead. Roy wouldn't let that happen. He wouldn't leave Ed alone. It didn't add up. Roy became an entirely different person when it came to Ed, and he'd fight a whole army by himself if it meant being able to stay with Ed. His mind still held a distant hope. He had to believe that the raven-haired alchemist was still alive and breathing somewhere out there.

Ed didn't know yet; he was still unconscious from the attack a few hours ago. His injuries weren't critical, a shot to his thigh and shoulder. He got lucky that Kimblee was. The blond was laying in a cot in the ward of the camp. His wounds were bandaged, and he wore a pained expression. As Fuery looked down at him, he wondered what was to come. He wondered what Ed would do after being told the devastating news that the love of his life was dead.

* * *

He wasn't sure how many he had killed so far, how many people had died with a snap of his fingers. Everytime he snapped his fingers, he had to tell himself that he was doing this for Ed. He was doing this to protect Ed. That was little help, but he couldn't bring himself to thinkthat he was doing this at another person's orders. It didn't matter what he thought about though; everytime he sparked the flame, he knew he was doing wrong by it. It was murder. Cold-blooded murder. Or was it? Was it murder or self-defence?

He shook off the thoughts and questions in his mind. Now was not the time to be thinking of such things. Now was the time to survive.

He glanced to left and saw Kimblee. He glanced to his right and saw Ed. Behind were several soldiers. The alchemists were to be on the field three at a time to spare the lives of the soldiers. It made sense. Send in the ones who could do the most damage to save those who could only shoot a gun.

He had a bad feeling about this though. Today they'd been sent into the enemy lines further than ever. They were practically walking on thin ice by being this far in. They walked the area lightly and carefully, eyes alert and not blinking, constantly scanning the surroundings.

The territory was strange. They were walking over mostly ruins. Rubble and collapsed buildings made the layout. There were tall pillars that had grown green with neglect and weather torture. The floor of the ruined building they were walking through probably once had been beautiful. The ceiling had long since fallen and now sunlight streamed in. The floor was cracked and grass was starting to claim it over. Vines snaked up the walls and around the supporting columns of the building. It most likely once belonged to a very wealthy person. Roy found himself wondering what had happened to this place. Where did all the people who resided here go? He tossed the thought to the back of his mind. Again he told himself that now wasn't the time to be thinking of such things.

Kimblee made them halt at the sound of something disturbing the rubble in the corner of the room, hidden in the shadows. They waited. It would be dumb to fire a gun or use alchemy now. If it turned out to be nothing, then they just told their enemies where they were. Roy held his breath and finally let it go with relief when a rabbit jumped out of the shadows. They continued.

They carefully stepped out of the building through a large hole in the wall. They went a few yards forward, and that's when the worst happened.

From their well-hidden places amongst the ruins, the Philion soldiers came out and surrounded them. They immediately started firing. The three alchemists did what they were supposed to do, letting loose a sheet a fire, a flurry of bladed swings, and raging explosions. It wasn't enough to save their soldiers though.

As Ed sliced his opponents throat with one swift swing, he made a count. The three alchemists were all that was left and he counted six Philions standing. As he turned to face his next opponent, he felt it. Pain went trailing through his body. He looked at the wound in his shoulder, blood staining his blue jacket confirmed he'd been shot. The shot caused him to stumble back in a daze. He quickly regained himself and looked around. Fear took over his mind as he saw what situation Roy was in. Roy was bent over gripping his hand. A bullet had shot straight through, rendering it useless for alchemy. He had two Philions standing over him. They didn't seem worried about the other two alchemists. Ed, acting on impulse, sprinted towards him. He had ended up far away from Roy during the skirmish.

The two Philions saw the blond approaching and one of them fired a single shot. It got his leg, making him fall to the ground. He wasn't going to give up though. He stumbled to his feet and tried again to make it to Roy. He clapped his hands, but it was too late.

The Philion went to shoot again, but Roy stood up and rammed his body into the man. In that time, Ed went to move, but Kimblee went in front of him and punched him hard in his gut, knocking him out. He threw the small body over his shoulder and looked back at Roy.

"Go!" Roy yelled just as the other Philion hit him with the butt of his gun. Kimblee ran though he regretted doing so, he regretted not trying to save Roy too. He knew though that Ed staying alive was all that mattered to Roy.

A shot rang through the air, and as Kimblee ran forward, he turned his head and saw the raven-haired man slump over on the ground.

He wanted to stop and run back, but he knew that he couldn't. Pangs of sorrow hit him and he felt his heart sink in his chest. It was hard losing someone you knew, someone you grew up with.

He kept running for Ed's sake. He knew that if he didn't get Ed to a safe place, then Roy would come to haunt him.

He made it back to the camp, breathless. He brought the small blond to the medics himself; he didn't feel safe leaving him in anyone else's hands. The doctor's would take care of him...well, they'd better. He'd come to care for the blond a considerable amount since the training began; that seemed like forever ago though. He hated having to hit him as he did, but he knew how irrational Ed could get and it was about Roy. Ed would've gotten himself killed trying to save Roy, so it was for his own good. He hoped he would understand that.

Ed was immediately seen to. He was placed on a table, and his wounds were tended to. Kimblee got called off elsewhere, so he had Fuery contacted to watch over the blond in his absence. When Fuery arrived, the told him what had happened. He thought the kid was going to cry, and Kimblee wouldn't've blamed him either. Once again, it was hard losing someone you knew.

Kimblee left and Fuery kept a close eye on his friend. Hours ticked by and twilight covered the lands before Ed's eyes slowly opened. He looked around and when he remembered what'd happened, he shot straight up in a panic.

"Roy!"

Fuery pushed him back down. Ed looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Fuery, where's Roy?" he asked. Fuery didn't answer; he couldn't. Ed's eyes widened in fear. "Where is he? Where's Roy?"

"Ed, I...I'm sorry," Fuery said in a cracked whisper.

The world stopped as soon as the words made it to his ear. He couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true. There was no way Roy was gone. He couldn't be.

Ed just closed his eyes and tried to make himself wake up from this nightmare. A tear slipped past his closed lid, and he ended up silently crying himself into a long sleep. He was pulled into a dream, and he took this dream as reality because Roy was there.

"Did you find him?" Fuery asked. Kimblee shook his head.

"No, his body's gone. The Philions must've taken him or the coyotes did," he said.

He'd just come back from a search to find Roy's body. He went back because he had a distant hope that he would find Roy laying wounded and clinging on to life, but there was no one there.

"Are you sure he's dead?" Fuery asked.

"I don't see how he could be alive. I heard them shoot, and I saw him fall. I mean, if he did survive from that, then he's as good as dead being with the Philions," Kimblee replied.

Hours passed before Ed woke again and the gravity of his loss hit him. No one was around him when he woke up. There was no one to stop him as he gathered his strength and forced himself out of the cot. He was determined now, determined to get Roy back. If he could just get to his body, then he could have him back. Automail wasn't that bad of a thing to live with and he could live without his remaining limbs.

He stumbled out of the medic's tent and into the busy camp. The place was alive, everyone doing their assigned tasks. No one payed any attention to Ed which he was fine with. That meant there was no one to stop him.

As he stumbled onward, he was waiting for someone to tell him that this was all just a big, sick joke. He waited for Roy to stop him and tell him that everything was okay. He didn't want to admit to himself that Roy was actually dead. He still couldn't believe that to be the truth.

Memories flashed through his mind as he went forth.

_"Roy...why did...why did you help me?"_

_"It felt like the right thing to do."_

_.o0o._

_"This deal we have going, I think I was cheated on that."_

_"How so?"_

_"Well, you're supposed to be doing what I tell you to do and so far all I've done is save your ass multiple times. You owe me now."_

_"And how do you want me to repay you?"_

_"Kiss me."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"Awww, Ed, you look so cute all embarrassed like this."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"Ed, please, forgive me, please. I didn't mean it, I swear I didn't. I never meant to hurt you, Ed. I'm sorry. Please, Ed, I love you."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"Ed, I love you."_

_"I love you too. Roy, promise me that you'll never leave me."_

_"I promise, Ed. I'd never leave you."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"Ed, if...something happened to me...would you be sad?"_

_"What kind of question is that? Of course I'd be sad."_

_"I heard today that we're officially at war with the Philions."_

_"Yeah, I heard that too."_

_"Ed, what do you think happens after you die?"_

_"I don't know. I never thought about it. Now why are you asking these questions?"_

_"Just thinking out loud, I guess..."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"Ed, I...I can't lose you."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"Ed, I swear that so long as I'm standing, I won't let him touch you. I'll kill him if he lays a hand on you."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"Ed, I'm here now. It's okay. I won't let him do that to you. Never. It was only a dream."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"I'm here for you any time of the day and night."_

_.o0o.  
__  
__"I don't have to worry anymore 'cause now I can protect you."_

Ed didn't make it as far as he wanted, as far as he was determined to go. He broke down at the images and fond memories. He realized he'd never again see that carefree smile, those endless black eyes he loved to stare into, hear that voice which had whispered such sweet things in his ear. He'd never have Roy's strong arms wrap around his waist and embrace him tightly. He'd never feel his warm touches or heavy breath against his skin. He just lost the world, his only reason to move forward in life, his light.

Ed sank to his knees. He didn't care about the pain from his wounds. The pain he felt inside was far greater than any physical pain. He hunched over and yelled out his frustrations as he ran his fists into the soil underneath him. He didn't care that he was causing a scene. He didn't care what people thought or said about what he was doing. He didn't care anymore.

"Damn it, Ed. I can't leave you alone for one minute!"

Ed didn't struggled as he was lifted to his feet and his right arm was thrown over Kimblee's shoulder, his body acting like a crutch to help him walk. Kimblee helped him get into his own tent. The State Alchemist's had their own tents.

Kimblee forced Ed to lay down on the bed as he sat in a chair next to the bed. It reminded Ed of Roy; Roy had done this with him before, laid him in his bed and watched him.

"W-why?" Ed asked softly. His voice pitiful and choked.

Kimblee sighed as he thought about how to answer that, how to console the sobbing blond.

"Ed, it's what Roy wanted. He wanted to protect _you_, not himself. He only cared about _you_. He wanted _you_ to live. You living is what Roy died for, Ed."

"But I don't understand. He said he'd never leave me, he promised," Ed said in a ragged whisper.

"He's still with you, Ed. He'll always be with you," Kimblee said as he reached out and placed his hands over Ed's chest. "Right here."

"Why didn't you let me die with him? Kimblee...I can't live without him."

"C'mon, Ed, you're stronger than this."

"Who told you that lie?"

"Roy did. He always talked about you, Ed."

"You don't understand. He was everything to me. Now I have nothing. He was my strength. Now I'm so weak. I want him back."

"Ed, you said it yourself, you can't bring the dead back to life. Don't even try it," Kimblee said sternly.

"Kimble, I-"

"Shh, just get some sleep. You'll feel better with some rest."

Once Ed dozed off into a deep slumber, Kimblee left the blond to sleep in peace.

As Ed slept he dreamt that Roy was kissing him. It was soft, almost ghost-like, but it felt real. So real that he opened his eyes and was immediately thrown in shock and confusion. He was actually being kissed, and for a hopeful moment, he knew that Roy had come back to him. He thought that it was Roy until the kiss change from soft to harsh and possessive. He didn't know what was going on as he was grabbed and lifted on his feet. The man threw him hard against the small table in the tent. The man trapped him by forcing Ed's automail arm to lay across his chest and he pressed Ed down on it, securing it in place and out of the way. Ed's other arm went numb from pain as the man wrenched it behind his back tightly. The man grabbed a fistful of golden locks with his free hand and forced Ed's head back.

"I've missed you, Ed," he said as he leaned forward to run his tongue along the side of Ed's neck. He was using Ed's weakened state to his advantage. He slammed Ed's head down and his hand went to Ed's front to undo Ed's pants. He had perfected one-handed technique with Ed years ago.

Ed gasped as the man pushed his hands down his pants, wrapping his fingers around his length. Ed tried to struggle, but that only turned the bastard on more. The man didn't want to waste any time as he commenced in running his hand quickly along his length. Ed felt wretched for the unwilling moans of pleasure that escaped his throat.

His moans were heard by a passerby outside who stopped to listen. The passerby smiled at knowing what act was taking place inside the tent. But once he heard the whimpering begging from the unwilling participant, he realized what exactly was going on and what tent he was at. He opened the tent flap and went inside. He grabbed the alchemist's attacker, pulled him back, spun him around, and sent his fist flying into the man's jaw causing him the fall back in a daze. He didn't stop there though. He started kicking the man until he kicked him out of the tent.

He went over to the sobbing blond. Ed was sunk to his knees and clutching his stomach tightly as if he was sick or in pain. He placed his hand on his back.

_'Roy, you said you wouldn't let him touch me again. You said you'd protect me from him. Where are you to protect me, Roy? Where? Why did you leave me?' _Ed asked in his mind and actually waited for an answer.

As Kimblee knelt next to the broken alchemist, he couldn't help but hear Roy's words:

_"Kimblee, I know we've never really been friends or anything and I probably shouldn't be asking this of you, but can you look after him?"_

_"He's your toy. You should look after him yourself."_

_"No, what I mean is if ever I can't be around to look after him. I pray that it doesn't, but with this war, I-"_

_"Yeah, yeah. You don't have to say it."_

_"Well, listen, there's someone here who wants to hurt Ed. Someone very bad. Someone who's hurt him before. Please, I beg of you, if this man ever approaches Ed and I'm not there, kick his ass for me."_

As the conversation replayed itself in his mind, Kimblee couldn't help but think on it.

_'Humph. Not even a thank you? Jeez, Roy, how gracious you are,'_ he thought.

He let Ed cry until he cried himself to sleep. He gently lifted the small body and set him down on the cot. He didn't leave though. He did tell Roy he would look after him, so that's what he did. He stayed close to Ed throughout the night.

* * *

_'Ed, don't worry. We'll be together again. I know we will.'_

Blood trickled from his forehead and into his eyes. All he could do was close his eyes and will the pain away.

No matter what happened, he was still going to hold on to hope. He didn't care how impossible it seemed. He held on to the hope that he'd be reunited with his Edward.

_'I love you, Ed,'_ he thought once more before easing his mind into a deep slumber.

* * *

**Poor Ed. A lot happening in a short amount of time! Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit hectic and if the character's emotions are a bit...underdone or whatever. Oh, and Ed's foster father is nameless in this. I thought about giving him a made up name and making him an OC, I guess, but I don't like doing that. And I thought about making him Havoc or King Bradley, but I didn't like that either. So he's nameless...And I'm not sure what compelled me to throw in that scene with him trying to rape Ed. -shrug-**

**Well, anyways, please review!**


	14. Bond

**I haven't decided yet, but there will probably be one (possibly two) more chapters left to this. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy reading. Please reading and review!**

* * *

Two days passed by in a grieving daze. He was far getting over this. Sometimes he'd just break down in tears and start asking questions to which there were no answers to. He felt so weak now and lonely, but a lot of people were trying to help him get through this. He didn't care about them though. He only cared about a person he'd never see outside of his thoughts and dreams which were starting to become as dazed and blurred as reality was.

The way everything was happening was so surreal. This so-called reality couldn't be reality at all. This had to be a dream. If this was a dream, then he was long overdo for a wake-up.

Two days ago, everything tumbled down. He lost everything on that day. People tried to tell him how untrue that was, but Ed knew that they just didn't understand. Him and Roy had built such a strong bond together, and now it was gone. No, they'd never understand the pain of that.

These last two days without Roy were hell.

On a war side of things, Ed hadn't been back on the field since that day. There'd been several more attacks out on the field and Amestris was slowly starting to make a comeback. Today they were sent out to seize hold over some Philion village near the border.

From Ed's tent, he could hear their return, and he went out to see who else had been taken away from him. The ones who were sent out must've had a victorious run for they were cheering. They'd also claimed a prize. They were tossing a small boy from one another. His hands were bound in front of him, and he wore a look of fear. Ed shrugged and returned to his tent. He had his own problems to deal with. But as he laid in his cot, something in his mind passed through the fog and told him that he'd just done something very wrong. He tried to push the arising thoughts of wrongdoing to the back of his mind. As the hours went on, he still had that feeling in him, the feeling that he'd done something wrong.

That night as he was about to fall to sleep, a blood-curdling scream filled the air. He knew it was from that boy, and he finally couldn't take it anymore. He left his tent and went to where the group of men were. They were all laughing and just having a good ol' time with the Philion child. It wasn't until Ed pushed through and saw the boy, that he really snapped. One of the soldiers was on top of the child and touching him in a manner that no man should do to a child. But what really got to him was the child looked past the man on top of him and caught Ed's gaze. His eyes reminded him of someone he knew. He saw Alphonse in those eyes, and he could only think that the boy was Alphonse.

"Stop," Ed yelled as he grabbed the man and pulled him back. Ed outranked all of them as a Major, so they couldn't argue. Ed took off his jacket to wrap around the child's bare body. He lifted the small body in his arms and held him on his hip much like you'd see mothers do with their own children. With a look of disgust, Ed pushed pass the men and brought the boy to his own tent.

Ed let the boy down. His skin was pale, but not in an unhealthy way. His eyes were a steel-blue, and his dirty-blond hair was short and well-trimmed. He looked to be around seven or eight. Ed frowned as he watched the boy run to the other side of the tent to get away from Ed. He stumbled over the over-sized jacket on him though he kept his balance from tripping.

"You could at least thank me," Ed said.

"Why did you help me?" he asked.

"It felt like the right thing to do," Ed replied. He could hear Roy saying the line in his head.

"What are you going to do to me?" the boy asked with wide, fearful eyes.

Ed thought about it for a moment. He wasn't going to hurt him or anything. He didn't want anyone going through what he'd gone through with that bastard. He only had one option.

"Take you home, I guess."

"Home? You're going to take me home?"

"Uh huh," Ed said with a nod. "What's your name? I'm Ed."

Ed frowned again when the boy just looked away from Ed and ignored the innocent question.

Ed sighed as he went over to the small chest where he kept his clothes. He had to walk closer to the boy to get to the chest and he noticed the boy try to move back even further. He shook his head as he dug through the chest until he had something the boy could wear that was better than his jacket.

"Here, put these on," Ed said and handed him the clothes. It was just a pair of boxers and a tee-shirt. He turned around with his back to the boy so that he could dress himself in privacy.

"Thank you," the boy muttered after a few moments. Ed turned around and smiled.

"So, where do I need to take you to get you home?" Ed asked. This plan he had going was not thought through at all, but it was keeping his mind off of Roy which was good. Wasn't it?

"You don't understand who I am."

"Huh? Of course I don't. You never told me your name when I asked, so who are you?"

"I can't tell you that, but maybe if you told me about you, then I might be more compelled to tell you about myself," the boy said. Ed had to give him credit. He was smart for being so young.

With a shrug and sigh, Ed sat on his cot with his elbows propped on his knees. He looked at the boy and wondered what he should tell him. With a mental shrug, he decided he'd just talk and whatever came out...

He told the kid basic stuff like how old he was and where he came from, but he had to slip away from the subject because his past was still hard to talk about and due to the current events, he couldn't talk about hardly anything about himself. He pulled the subject away from himself and described what Central was like. He talked about high school and his motorcycle and all kinds of things like that.

An hour passed by before Ed stopped talking.

"Well, what about you?" he asked.

"Zeru."

"Zeru? Huh...That name sounds so fa..mil...Shit! You're _the _Zeru?" Ed panicked at realizing who was in his tent on the wrong side of the border. He buried his head in his hands. This couldn't be happening.

Zeru was the youngest son of the Philion king, Rune. This completely changed everything. That's it, he officially had the worst luck in the world.

"What were you even doing in that village?" Ed asked, raising his head and looking at the prince.

"I have an aunt who lived there, and I went to stay there for a few weeks. When the war broke out, I got stuck there," he replied. "Are you still going to take me home?"

"Well, now I have to take you back. They'll kill you if they find out who you are."

"But aren't you afraid that you might die?"

"Trust me, kid, right now, death would be a sweet treat," Ed said.

"Wait, you _want _to die?" Zeru asked in disbelief.

"You don't how much I've lost," Ed replied. He stood up from the cot. "Try to get some sleep. We'll leave at sunrise, and don't worry, nothing's going to happen to you in here. You're safe." Ed laid on the grass floor and tucked his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes and heard the boy shuffle about until he made it the cot. All went silent for Ed who drifted off to dream of him.

He was starting to look forward to sleeping. The dreams that came to him were wonderful. Roy was there always. Roy was there to hold him and kiss him and whisper sweet things in his ear. Roy was there in his dreams, but it wasn't enough. Ed still wanted the actual touches and kisses though he'd never have that again.

Ed woke at sunrise and gently shook the young prince awake.

"Now, listen to me, you're going to have to keep quiet and stay by me. I hope you can run because we're probably going to be doing a lot of that," Ed said. "C'mon, let's go."

He took the boy's hand as they walked out the tent. Ed decided it'd be best to leave through the back of the camp and circle around at a distance, so that's what they did. Luckily no one saw them.

The closer they got to the border, the louder the gunfire got. The were really close to a skirmish. Ed told the boy to run so that they could get past the battle and avoid getting hit by a stray bullet. Ed was right. Throughout the journey, they had to do a lot of running, but they did get there.

They were deep in Philion territory when soldiers came out and surrounded them. Ed raised his hands in the air, and they took the young prince. The only reason he was spared in that moment was because they saw the chain of his pocket-watch. Realizing he was an alchemist, they tied his arms together and brought him where the had been taken.

He became part of an entourage to go to the royal city in Philion where royal family resided. Ed was forced to walk next to some superior officer riding a horse. His hands were tied behind his back, and they tied a rope around his neck to act like a leash. The office would jerk at the rope and they would all laugh their asses off at seeing Ed stumble forward.

As they walked through the gates of the city, Ed was held in awe. It was like stepping back in time. The Philions were advance, but they weren't. They had electricity and automobiles and things like that, but the architect of the city was designed to resemble the medieval times and a lot of the culture was like that too. It was beautiful, and Ed finally understood why newly-weds came here for their honeymoons.

The people in the streets cursed at Ed. It was obvious he was from Amestris with his blue uniform sticking out among the dark colors of the city.

_'I did the right thing, didn't I? It feels like I did, but it doesn't. Did I do the right thing, Roy? Saving this child of the enemy's son? Is this what you would've done?'_

Ed never realized when exactly he was brought into the palace of the city. His mind came back to him and he looked around. The king was sitting on his throne with an amused look on his face. Ed watched as the soldiers all knelt, and when Ed didn't kneel too, he was jerked by his leash and forced down.

"And what do we have here?" the king asked as he stood from his throne and walked up to them. He clapped his hands which must've meant to stand up as Ed was forced on his feet.

"He's an alchemist, my lord," the officer holding Ed's leash said.

"Untie him," the king ordered. The officer hesitantly released Ed. The king waved his hand to dismiss the officer and the other soldiers who'd came in with him.

The king motioned for Ed to follow him and he led him to a small room. The king sat down at the table in the room and motioned for Ed to sit too.

"Why did you bring my son back to me? What reward are you seeking?" the king asked. He interlocked his fingers and rested his head on them.

"Sir, I brought your son back to you because this is where he belonged," Ed said. He wasn't sure how to answer the question of why he did it.

"Your name, boy?"

"Major Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"I would have never thought they would bring alchemy back. I did not believe it when I was told that there were alchemists on the field. They must have been desperate. Do you know, Major, why we are at war?"

Now that Ed thought about, he really didn't know. He simply shook his head.

"I thought so. You see, your government is corrupt, always has been too. I bet they told their soldiers some lie that we are stealing their land or something. They are just covering for their own sins."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I don't understand."

"There has been a network running through this very city, a network run by your government. They have been taking our children and woman and selling them for the sadistic pleasures of your society."

Ed couldn't believe. He couldn't believe that he'd been fighting for that cause. He'd been fighting for the wrong side if this was the truth.

"That is what sparked this war. We would have already won by now, but having the State Alchemists return was a setback we were not prepared for. With two of you here, how many are left?"

As the words went to Ed's ears, all of his hope came back.

"You said that there are two of us here. Is that true?" Ed asked quickly.

"Do not take me for a liar, boy. Of course it is the truth. I am bound by laws to speak only the truth."

"Is he alive?" Ed asked in another quick manner.

"Yes, he is."

"Can I see him? Please, I beg of you," Ed said.

"I suppose it would not hurt to do so. Consider it your reward for returning my son to me," the king said.

Finally, the tables were turning. He never thought he'd get to see Roy again, but he was going to get to.

He followed the king out of the small room and down a spiraling staircase. Ed's heart was beating faster than ever as they walked up to a cell. The guard opened the cell and Ed was allowed inside. He didn't care that the guard had locked him in there too.

"Roy!"

He went to the unconscious body laying on the stone floor. He held his head in his lap. There was dried blood trailing down his face from a large gash in his forehead. He had a black-eye too, but he was alive.

"Roy, wake up," Ed said softly as he gently shook the body he held. He couldn't coax Roy out from darkness. He tried again by shaking him, but it still had not effect, so he did the one thing that always worked. He shifted slightly and leaned down to softly kiss Roy's lips. He'd done this countless times before when he'd wake up in Roy's bed early in the morning. For a moment, he felt his heart drop when there was no response, but then it came. He felt Roy start to kiss back and he felt his hand creep up to cup his cheek.

"I knew we'd be together again," Roy said weakly after the kiss broke. Ed smiled as a tear fell from his eye and landed on Roy's cheek.

"You bastard, don't you ever leave me like that again," Ed said, the line choked with a sob. He was brought to tears at the overwhelming happiness that Roy was alive.

Roy chuckled lightly.

"Prepare the chopping block. I want them beheaded at sunset," the king said. Ed turned to look at the man who just smirked and walked off. Ed looked back at Roy.

"Ed, you have to find a way out of here. You can't di-"

"Shut up, Roy," Ed whispered with a smile. "I said it before, if I die, I'll die a happy person knowing that I had your love."

"Ed, I don't want you to die. Please, just find a way out of here and save yourself."

"In the past two days, I've found out a lot. I found out that Kimblee's actually a good guy and I found out that a lot of people care about me, but I also found out that I can't live without you, Roy. It was hell."

Ed took a moment to look around the room and saw many transmutation circles drawn in blood. Roy noticed what he was looking at.

"I don't understand why, but alchemy doesn't work here," Roy said. Ed never heard of such a thing, but he didn't care.

Ed leaned down to kiss Roy once more. He'd be craving the feel of those lips against his for what felt like forever. He knew he really couldn't live without Roy.

"Let me hold you, Ed," Roy said. Roy struggled to sit up and he moved back until he was leaning against the wall. Ed went into his arms. Roy wrapped his arms around him in the same he'd done so many times before. Ed noticed that his hand was crudely wrapped with some torn cloth, probably from Roy's undershirt.

Ed's head was resting on Roy's chest and he listened to the steady, strong heartbeat. It made him realize that this was real and not some dream. It made him realize that Roy was actually alive. He smiled as he felt his eyes droop and dozed off in his arms. Roy followed shortly after from the relaxing state.

They were pulled out of their sleep when the cell door was opened, and they were forced out. Their hands were tied behind their back for safety measures. It was sunset.

A crowd of people had formed around the guillotine in the town square. Ed and Roy were brought onto the platform.

"Any last words?" the guard asked to Ed.

Ed looked at Roy and took a quick step toward him. Their lips locked for the last time.

"I love you, Roy!" Ed yelled as he was pulled away and forced to his knees at the blood-stained block. The people cheered as Ed was positioned on the block. The executioner stood next to him with his axe in his hands, a black mask hid his face.

"Ed, I love you too!" Roy yelled just as the axeman lifted his axe.

Ed squeezed his eyes shut and a conversation between him and Roy played in his mind.

_"Ed, what do you think happens after you die?"_

_"I don't know. I never thought about it."_

Well, he was about to find out.

"Stop!"

Ed opened his eyes and the crowd gasped.

"Don't kill him!" Zeru yelled. He draped his body over Ed's protectively.

"Zeru!" The king stood from his chair. He was sitting on a special platform to better watch the execution.

"I won't let you kill him!" Zeru yelled defiantly.

The king left his own platform and went to the other to meet his sun. He grabbed the boy by his wrist and tried to pull him away.

"No, I won't let you do it. Father, he saved my life. He risked his own life to bring me home. You can't kill him," Zeru said and pulled himself out of his father's grip. "Ed, you don't want to die anymore, do you?" He didn't wait for any answer. He already figured everything out. He knew Ed risked his life because his lover was dead, but now that they'd been reunited, he knew that Ed didn't want to die anymore.

"Father, I won't let you kill them. Can't you see that they're in love? Would you destroy a bond so strong just because of where they're from?" Zeru asked. Not only was the kid wise beyond his years, he was brave too.

Prince Zeru and King Rune got into a long arguement over whether or not the two Amestris alchemists should live or not. Luckily, Zeru won.

"Thanks for saving me, Ed" Zeru said as he hugged Ed's waist.

"No, thanks for saving me," Ed said with a smile. His hands were still behind his back, but at least his head wasn't coming off.

Roy and Ed were brought to the gate of the city and untied. They were given a small flag from the king to grant them safe passage back to Amestris.

Half way back, Roy's legs gave out and Ed had to carry him. Roy had been denied any food and was given very little water, so he was dehydrated and starving. Ed didn't mind carrying him, Roy's arm over his shoulder. They were together at last.

"It's Ed and Roy! They're back! They're back!" Fuery hollered after spotting the two approaching through his binoculaurs.

Several soldiers went out to help the two. They immediately took Roy took the medics.

"How the hell did you manage this one, Fullmetal?" Kimblee asked. They were waiting for the doctors to finish working on Roy.

"I don't even know," Ed replied with a shrug and shaking his head.

"Well, I-"

"Major Elric, good news, he's going to be fine," the doctor came out and said. "He's really lucky. You can go see him if you like." The doctor left.

Ed stood up and walked forward a bit, then turned around to look at Kimblee.

"Thanks, Kimblee, for everything," he said sincerely and walked off to see Roy. Kimblee smiled.

Ed walked up to the bed Roy was in. They'd washed away all the dried blood and grime. He reached out and stroked Roy's cheek which roused him from his sleep.

"Hey there," Ed said softly then leaned down to kiss his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Perfect now that you're here," Roy said. Though his voice was weak, his smile was strong.

"I love you, Roy," Ed said sweetly and kissed his lips softly.

Roy didn't have to say it back. As Ed looked into those black eyes he loved so much, he saw the love there. Pure and innocent love.

Now he knew he had to hold on extra tight to this person and cherish this person always. He knew he would never have love like this from anyone other than the raven-haired Roy Mustang.

They were together again, but there was still a problem. War was still raging between the two countries. Until this war ended, they would be stuck here. All Ed wanted was to go home with Roy and finish living his life with him.

He looked down at Roy, who had fallen back to sleep, and smiled.

_'When was it that I fell so hard for you? When was it I first told you those three words, I love you? So much has happened and our bond never once weakened. I don't have the words of a poet or bard, so I don't know how I can tell it to you. But what I can say is that I do love you more than anything.'_

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**Hope you enjoyed reading! Please review!**


	15. With The Enemy

**Sorry! I've been really busy, so sorry that this is so late! Anyways, this chapter isn't progressed further from the last. This is actually the last chapter told from Roy's side. Some people might not enjoy this, and it really seems like a lot at once. Also, I hate the last chapter and I came so close to rewritting it as a sorta edited version of this one. But because it became the most reviewed chapter, I kept it. Don't know why I'm mentioning that, but yeah...anyways!**

**Reminders/Things To Know:  
-Roy's right hand was shot in the 13th chapter  
-Roy is a P.O.W. so don't expect this chapter to be all rainbows and butterflies  
-Time is not really an issue here as I don't mention intervals between each event  
-This chapter ends where it ends because we already know what happens afterwards**

**Please read and review!**

**Oh, and another thing, I hope no one thinks too hard on this chapter. There are some holes throughout that contradict with information in the previous chapter(s).**

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_Their ragged breathing filled the darkness as they collapsed together. Sweat trickled down their back and from their foreheads. The moonlight caught the glistening trails. __They'd been denied this for so long, and because of this neglect, the act was exhilarating and intensely pleasurable for them both._

_Roy kissed the top of Ed's head. His breathing was still coming in unsteady bursts and waves of pleasure coursed steadily through his body. He held the small body tightly to him. He never wanted to let go._

_Their positions shifted to where Roy was on top of Ed, straddling his small hips. Roy stared lovingly into his eyes. The bright moon overhead lit their bodies. Roy moved his hand to stroke Ed's cheek, but his hand passed through. He tried again, but as he did, the small body underneath him disappeared._

_He rose to his feet quickly and turned to see his surroundings. The trees were fading away, the stars above were blinking out, and the moon was vanishing. He was left in darkness. He couldn't see anything._

_Even though he was standing completely still, it felt as if he was moving. He could feel his body bouncing, but he didn't understand why. It stopped, but only to be replaced with the sensation of being thrown against a wall._

Roy forced himself awake, his dream fading away. His eyes opened to meet with the face of someone unknown. Immediately, he was hit with confusion, anger, and pain. The pain that coursed through his body made him want to go back into the darkness he'd just come out of. His mind was in a fog, and he couldn't piece together anything. He couldn't figure out why he was in this place, why he was hurting so badly, or who these people were.

He looked around in a daze, still not able to figure anything out. His mind was shot, but it came back to him with a slap to the face. The man who had thrown him against the wall ran his open palm across Roy's cheek. With that slap, Roy remembered the attack, and he knew where he was and who these people were.

At the realization, fear settled in him. His stomach went into a complex knot, and his breathing went ragged. His heart started beating faster than before. He was deep in fear. The many stories he'd been told about what happens to those captured by the enemy...He was about to be one of those soldiers, but he didn't think he'd be able to tell his story on it.

His breath left him as the man's fist went into his gut. Roy sank to his knees, gagging.

"Your name, dog?" the man said. Roy quickly counted three of the Philion soldiers there; he was outnumbered.

After a second of silence, the man grabbed a handful of raven locks and wrenched Roy's head up so their gazes met. Roy swallowed hard in a way to prepare himself for the second hit to his face that came shortly after.

"What's your name?" the man asked again in a demanding tone. Roy didn't answer.

Roy watched as the man turned his head to look back at his two companions. He was smiling in a way that Roy knew wasn't good. The man slowly went down to his own knees to get eye level with the alchemist. His hand left Roy's hair to grab something else.

Roy bit back the yelp of pain as the man grabbed his injured right hand, the one that had been shot through.

"What's your name, dog?"

Roy didn't answer, though he wished he had.

The man squeezed Roy's hand tightly. His blood soaked the man's hand.

"What's your name?" the man asked once more as he tightened his grip even more. Roy couldn't hold back the ear-piercing scream. The man slapped Roy across the face again, ceasing the sound of agony and leaving a trail of blood across his cheek. "Shut up and take it like a man. You Amestris mutts are so pathetic."

"Fuck you," Roy said through gritted teeth.

Pain coursed through his entire being, mind and body alike. He wanted nothing more than to crawl into the deepest pit of darkness, but he knew that he couldn't. He knew that he couldn't show weakness to these bastards. He had to be strong, but he wondered just how much his body could take...

The man seized Roy's damaged hand again and squeezed it tighter than before. He screwed his eyes shut and tried to fight against the scream begging to be heard in his throat.

As much as he wanted to fight back, he knew it would be beyond foolish. He knew that in his weakened state, he would get nowhere with the attempt. However, he was never one to cower away in defeat without even trying to come out victorious. He was Roy Mustang, afterall.

The flame alchemist jerked his injured hand back and out of the Philion's grasp. With his left, uninjured hand, Roy sent his fist flying. The punch connected with venomous heat that sent the crouching Philion flat on his back. Roy jumped to his feet, but got a dizzy sensation at the sudden movement. He pushed his mind through the phase and resisted the urge to fall back down. Now was not the time.

Roy was able to advance forward and land another punch on one of the other Philions, but the other two grabbed him and tackled him to the ground.

_'Stupid, stupid, stupid! What was I thinking!?' _he thought in panicking regret as he was forced on his stomach.

"Seems like we're going to have to break this dog of all of his bad habits," one of the Philions said, and that's exactly what they commenced in doing.

He couldn't make a single thought form in his mind as their fists and feet crashed on his body in a thundering force. He didn't know though if it was good or bad when he stopped feeling pain. His entire body went numb after minutes of the constant strikes. Roy'd heard before that sometimes when the body went through a tremendous amount of pain, the brain would throw some of the nerves on a temporary shutdown.

Once they were satisfied with their work of breaking the dog, they stopped. At some point in the beating, Roy'd been pushed against the wall. His knees gave out and he sank to the floor in a pathetic heap of flesh and bone, of a human, once the three Philions had backed away.

The "leader" of the trio reached down and stuck his hand past Roy's military jacket and in his shirt at the collar. He rummaged around until he found what he was looking for. He yanked the ball chain, the two tags jingled together in a metal clanking as the chain broke off of Roy's neck.

"So doggy does have a name! Humph. Major Roy Mustang," the leader said in a rather absentminded tone as he examined the tags; his voice slightly trailed off as the name left his lips.

Roy didn't look up as he heard the Philion stand up and turn to his companions.

"C'mon, let's go. I'm hungry as hell," he said and Roy was relieved when he heard the cell door open, shut, then lock.

Roy leaned his head back against the wall; his eyes squeezed shut as all of the pain came rushing to him. He knew he was going to die in this place, at the hands of the enemy, but even with that knowledge, he had to believe that there was hope yet that he'd make it out alive. He figured that by now Ed was probably in tears at hearing the news that he was dead. Roy wondered if he concentrated really hard if he could send his thoughts to another person. He wanted so badly to tell Ed that he was alive. He gave it a try. Whether it worked or not, it would give him some much-needed comfort. He opened his eyes and looked up at the bland, stone ceiling.

_'Ed, don't worry. We'll be together again. I know we will.'_

Blood trickled from his forehead and into his eyes. All he could do was close his eyes and will the pain away.

No matter what happened, he was still going to hold on to hope. He didn't care how impossible it seemed. He held on to the hope that he'd be reunited with his Edward.

_'I love you, Ed,'_ he thought, hoping the words could be heard by the one he wanted them to be heard by, before slipping into the deep slumber he'd been craving.

His sleep didn't last long though. Well, he wasn't sure how long exactly he was asleep, but it didn't feel like a long time. It wasn't long enough for someone who'd been beaten within an inch of his life.

Roy wasn't sure what was going on, or more like what was going to happen, when he was forced out of his sleep and his military jacket was torn off of his body. His undershirt was lifted to reveal his toned abdomen which looked like he'd been attacked by a blind artist trying to draw the Mona Lisa with a black Sharpie marker. He was being held tightly at each arm, and his eyes widened when he saw the third man approaching him with a heated rod.

"His Majesty says we can keep you," he said maliciously as he eased up closer to Roy. "Struggling will only make it worse."

The hot iron was used to brand the livestock that was raised on the palace grounds. The king's insignia made up the brand. For a brief second, time seemed to slow dramatically, and he wondered to himself if he could go back to Amestris after this, after being branded as the Philion king's property.

Roy instinctively tightened his abdominal muscles as the heated metal pressed against the delicate skin of his lower left side. His head went back, and his eyes shut tightly. He stifled his scream by gritting his teeth together and pressing his tongue flat at the roof of his mouth. The Philion bastards laughed at the sound of sizzling skin and at Roy's failed attempt to hide his pain as he couldn't hold in his voice of agony in any longer. He'd never known pain like this before. It was too great for him as he went limp in their arms. They deemed him as worthless and pathetic as they let him drop to the hard floor with a thud. They left, leaving Roy unconscious on the ground.

The design that'd been burned into his flesh was commonly mistaken for a rising sun, but because this country was in the west, it was actually a setting sun. The setting sun was the symbol of the country and was used by the king for all of his affairs. He was officially Philion property now.

At some point, minutes or hours later, he opened his eyes; his mind went suddenly restless, forcing him out of his sleep. The gravity and severity of the situation hit him, and he felt his eyes start burning. He blinked rapidly in an attempt to drive the oncoming tears away, but he couldn't. He thought himself as weak for the falling tears that slid down his cheek and the sobs that knotted in his throat. He had no hope that he'd be saved, but he still held onto the hope that one day he'd see his Edward again.

"Edward, I-" The sentence was cut off by a sob.

It was too late, and he knew it. He knew that he was going to die here. Even though, he felt himself looking forward to it. If being beaten and tossed around like some ragdoll was all that was left for him, then he _did_ want to die.

He swallowed hard and told himself to calm down. He found himself counting the seconds in his head until his sobs and tears stopped.

_'-36, 137, 138, 139, . . .'_

After over two minutes, he was able to calm down. He was still laying on his back on the floor. His body ached terribly, and he was sure that the number of bruises and cuts on his once near-perfect flesh was uncountable. He slowly lifted his right hand to see the damage to it. His eyes narrowed in sorrow and a frown creased on his face. He couldn't even move his fingers, no matter how much he told his brain to do so. The wound didn't look infected, but Roy was far from a doctor.

As he looked at his broken hand, an idea sprung in his head. He took the index finger of his left hand and pressed on the wound causing it to start bleeding again. He bit down hard on his lower lip to help fight the pain. With his finger coated in his blood he carefully made a transmutation circle. Once he finished the circle, he placed his hand on it to activate it, but became confused when there wasn't the slightest reaction. He made another circle and another and another. Nothing.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," Roy cried out in frustration as he tried again to activate each circle. He was positive he was doing it right, but he couldn't figure out why it wasn't working. With a defeated sigh, he gave up and pushed it to the back of his mind. Now he was absolutely sure he was going to die here. When the idea of using alchemy had first come to him, he knew he could get out of this place or die trying, but now, that tactic was shattered.

He stared up at the ceiling at a loss. He didn't know what to do except for wait for those Philion bastards to come back. He was limited in his movements from the beating he'd received however long ago. Time didn't seem to exist here, well, at least not for him. He was sure how long he'd been there. Had it been only a few minutes or hours? Had he been there for days even? He didn't know.

As he recalled on the most recent of events, he found himself lightly running his left hand over the seared skin of his abdomen. It still hurt like a son of a bitch though. Oddly enough, he kept running his fingers over the damaged skin. He found it comforting. It reminded him that he was still alive and that he could still form thoughts. He was still alive.

_'Ed, I agree with you. If I do die here, I'll die a happy person knowing that I had someone like you to love and be loved by. Damn, I only wish I could tell you that. But you know that I do, don't you? Oh, but what I wouldn't give just to whisper those words in your ear one last time. What I wouldn't give just to hold you in my arms. What I wouldn't give just to see that beautiful smile and hear that joyous laugh. Well, this is just great, I'm starting to sound like some depressed poet or something.'_

Roy closed his eyes, the thoughts dying away. He forced his body to relax. He made a smile form on his lips after taking a deep breath. If he was going to die anytime soon, then he was going to go relaxed and at ease. After only a few seconds in the relaxed state, he dozed off with a smile on his face.

He was deep asleep when an unfamiliar voice invaded his dream and a light push came repeatedly to his side.

"Wakey, wakey, deary."

Roy slowly opened his eyes. Slowly because the voice was that of a woman and seemed not at all threatening or intimidating.

He looked up at the woman standing over him. She was carrying a tray. She had dark reddish-brown hair that curled in two undefined pigtails on her head. She had a nice figure for someone who looked a lot older than Roy. She had really pale skin that clashed with the dark fabric of her corset dress.

Roy didn't move at all when she leaned down and set the tray she'd been carrying next to him. The smell of its contents hit his nose, and that was when he turned his head to see. It was food.

"What is it?" Roy asked softly.

"A little priest," the woman replied. "Well, eat up."

Roy didn't move even though he was ravenous. He just didn't trust the meal, and he had no clue what the woman meant by it being "a little priest."

The woman folded her arms across her chest and a look of frustration crossed her face. As Roy looked up at the woman, he saw something else in her eyes other than frustration. She looked sad almost. That was confirmed when the woman shook her head.

"I suppose it's just me motherly heart, but I do hate to see young boys like yourself treated like this," she said. She went down to her knees and grabbed the bottom of Roy's shirt.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Hush, love, hush," she said softly as she ripped a strip of the shirt off. She frowned at catching a glimpse of the setting sun on his abdomen. She took the bottle of water on the tray next to the food and unscrewed the top. She gently took Roy's injured hand in hers and poured a little bit of the cold water on the wound. Roy winced slightly. She took the ripped cloth and wrapped it around his hand. Blood seeped through.

"There you are. Now, eat before I have to take it away, deary," the woman said. She helped Roy get into a sitting position and set the tray in his lap.

"It's hot out of the oven, love," she said as Roy picked up the warm meat pie. He eased it to his lips and took a bite. It was delicious.

"I do like to see a boy with a healthy appetite!" she exclaimed as Roy ate the food, occasionally taking sips of water.

"I wish I could hire you to work in my pie shop. You'd be a real help to me. Business has been out the door lately," she said casually.

The meal was hidden in the confines of Roy's stomach once he looked at the woman, confusion evident in his eyes.

"Why are you being this nice to me?" he asked.

"It's not in me to be mean, love. Motherly heart," she replied with a shrug. "Well, I best be off then." She picked up the tray out of Roy's lap and stood up. Before she opened the cell door, balancing the tray on one hand, she turned back at Roy. "Be prepared, deary, for the worst."

"Thank you, ma'am," Roy said politely before the cell door was opened by the guard outside, and she left though she smiled at him through the bars.

Wanting to remain in the sitting position, Roy scooted back until he was against the wall. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes contently. Though he wanted to get some more sleep, it wasn't long before his eyes shot open as his _buddies_ entered the cell.

Before Roy could react, he was jerked to his feet and thrown against the wall, facing it. His left arm was twisted behind his back. He didn't want to believe that _this_ was going to happen once he felt the man behind him trail his tongue on the back of Roy's neck, his fingers tangled in the raven locks.

It was three against one, and by the time it was over, Roy slumped over breathless and exhausted. A new pain was added to his body though there was some pleasure there too, but Roy would never admit to that. Now Roy and Ed had another thing in common, but Roy was never going to tell Ed that.

The three men snickered as Roy, still facing the wall, sunk to his knees. His mind was in a fog, and he couldn't form a single thought. His body ached in a place and in a way he'd never thought of before. He didn't know he'd bleed.

One of the men grabbed a handful of Roy's hair and wrenched his head back. He brought his lips down harshly on Roy's, easily slipping his tongue in the raven-haired man's mouth. Roy wasn't going to fight it; he didn't have the energy. The other man pulled away and laughed as he slammed Roy's head into the wall causing the skin of his forehead to split. Blood trickled down his forehead as he fell backwards on his back, unconscious. The three men left satisfied and laughing.

Seconds ticked by slowly turning into minutes, then into hours. Roy remained motionless on the stone floor as the hands on the clock moved on. His mind was so dark, not even the barest hint of a dream visited him, well...until he felt something familiar.

No other person in the world could mimic it. He felt the famliar softness against his lips. It had to be a dream. He had to be dreaming, but there was no image in his mind to accompany the sensation at his lips. He fell into the familiarity of it because it was something he knew all too well. If it was a dream, then he didn't want to wake up from it.

He started kissing back and eased up his left hand to where a cheek should be. His eyes were still closed, but he could feel the warmth of the other body. That made him wonder, so he forced his eyes open.

His heart leapt in happiness and new-found hope. It wasn't a dream.

"I knew we'd be together again," Roy said weakly after the kiss broke. Ed smiled as a tear fell from his eye and landed on Roy's cheek.

"You bastard, don't you ever leave me like that again," Ed said, the line choked with a sob. He was brought to tears at the overwhelming happiness that Roy was alive.

Roy chuckled lightly.

_'Ed, I get to say it, don't I? I get another chance to say it to you again. I love you, Edward. If only I could get the words out of my mouth. I'm so happy right now that I'm speechless. Please, don't let this be some cruel dream, and I just haven't woken up yet.'_

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**So yeah...um...I thought this chapter was kinda blah, and I'm sorry that I didn't go forward in the story. I did this chapter like this because everything always happens to Ed, so what about Roy? Anyways, I hope yuo enjoyed reading, and I'm sorry if it was over-the-top or whatever, but Roy is/was a prisoner of war.**

**Oh, and the woman who gave Roy the food is noneother than Nellie Lovett from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I figured I'd have some fun and try to lighten the mood a bit.**

**Please review! :)**

**I'm not even going to start working on the next chapter until I get at least five reviews, so you know what to do! Muwhaha!**


	16. Home

**This chapter sucks. It goes everywhere and a lot happens in this. I should point out though that Roy so does not act like someone who'd just gone through what he did. He's really _light_ in his dialogue, almost joking and hyper. It's probably not even believable. I'm just going to throw in the excuse that that is how he's dealing with it. You'll see what I mean as you read. I might go into more "Roy detail" especially with this topic _if_ there's going to be a following chapter to this. Um...I think that was all I needed to mention...Anyways, sorry this chapter sucks. I _think_ there is going to be one more chapter.**

**Please read and review! :)**

**Oh yeah, I should probably remind everyone that the real reason behind the war was because the Amestris government was going into Philion territory, kidnapping kids, and then selling them as slaves. This was revealed in chapter 13, I think, during the conversation between Ed and the Philion king.**

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The sounds that filled the air were of war. Ed could hear a soldier screaming his lungs out in pain. He could hear gunfire in the distance. The sounds of death. He wondered if it would ever end, this senseless war.

He was sitting in a small waiting area in the medic tent. His elbows rested on his spread knees, and his head was bowed. The doctors made him leave Roy so that they could give him a thorough examination. He pleaded to them to let him stay, but they forced him out.

At the bone-chilling scream that suddenly filled the air, Ed lifted his head. Ed was used to the sight of blood now and to the stench of it. A soldier was being rushed in on a gurney. His legs were absent from his body and so was his left eye. Ed felt his heart drop in sympathy. He didn't know the soldier, but he couldn't even imagine the pain that was coursing through the other man's body. Ed didn't think the soldier would survive. There was so much blood.

The team of doctors and nurses brought the occupied gurney to a room in the back of the large tent. His screams went silent after a few minutes. Either the man was dead or heavily sedated with a mix of morphine and God knows what else. Ed bowed his head again with a leaden sigh.

After minutes of sitting there, every sound seemed to fade away and the tent went an eerie quiet. It was too quiet for this kind of place in this time of war. It didn't seem so hectic anymore, and Ed wondered why that was. He wondered if it was because the wounded soldiers were dying away. If that was so, then where were the others to take their place on the blood-stained gurneys? Ed found himself shrugging, deciding that he didn't care. He did, after all, have Roy back, and so long as his raven-haired lover was alive and well, then that was all that mattered to him.

He was growing impatient just standing there and not being noticed, so he cleared his throat several times and threw in a forced cough. Finally, Ed looked up at the other alchemist.

"Damn, it's about time. I talked to the doc," Kimblee said as he sat in the unoccupied chair next to Ed.

"Yeah? What'd they say?" Ed asked, looking intently at Kimblee. He didn't like the long pause, and he could see that Kimblee was thinking deeply on how to answer. Kimblee turned his head forward, not wanting to say what the doctor had told him while looking in those golden eyes.

"Roy's doing well physically, but...be prepared, Ed. The things that happened to him...He might not...He might not be the same person anymore," Kimblee replied softly.

"W-what do you mean?"

"They beat him mercilessly. They even _branded _him, and plus they ra-" Kimblee's voice trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished. Ed wasn't dumb though. Ed buried his head in his hands, elbows still resting on his knees.

"He was raped," he said in a muffled voice, completing the sentence that Kimblee was unable to.

"Yes," Kimblee whispered.

Ed couldn't believe it. He never thought that it would happen to Roy of all people. He remembered how much he struggled to get over his own ordeals, his own violations to his body at the hands of his own personal enemy, his foster father.

"Listen, Ed, just be prepared for Roy to be a different person. Those bastards probably played with his mind just as much as his body."

_'Roy will still be same, old Roy. I just know it. But...what if he isn't? What if he really is different now? No, I can't believe that. What little he said to me was still the same. He still spoke the same. But what if...Damn, this is all my fault.'_

"Oh, and Ed, they're going to send Roy back to Central. They said that his hand might be able to be saved if he's brought to the hospital in Central. A helicopter's coming to take Wilson...poor bastard stepped on a land mine...so they're taking Roy too."

"When?"

"Fifteen minutes or so. You can go see him now, if you want, but like I already said, be prepared," Kimblee said. Ed casted the words aside as he stood up and went to where Roy was being held.

Ed's mind went running away with thoughts and questions as he got slowly closer to Roy. He asked himself a million What Ifs, and his mind built up many scenarios of a different Roy. His mind didn't seem to be entirely in his control anymore, even as he stood over Roy who was sleeping deeply.

His eyes narrowed in sadness as he looked down at his lover. His mind decided to play out new scenarios of what Roy went through while being in the enemies' hands. He felt his stomach knot as the made-up images hit his mind. His hand went over his eyes, then down to his lips. The cool metal only made him feel sicker for some reason. He sank to his knees, his left hand gripping tightly to the safety rail of the gurney. As the grim images faded away, something else took over. Guilt. Pure guilt.

He blinked rapidly, but that didn't stop the tears from falling. His small body trembled as he sobbed. There wasn't anyone around him where they were, so his pathetic state went unseen. And it stayed that way until he felt a hand rub along the back of his that was still gripping the rail.

"Edward, why are you crying?" Roy asked in a soft, caring whisper.

"It's my fault, Roy. What happened to you. It's all my fault." The replying voice was broken from the sobs.

"Don't say that."

"But it is, Roy. If I would've...If I...God, it's my fault this happened. I should've done more."

"Edward, please don't think that what happened was your fault. No one's to blame."

As Ed slowly rose to his feet, he realized how selfish he was being. He didn't ask Roy how he was feeling or greet him with an "I love you." He whipped his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket before looking at Roy who only smiled. Ed returned the smile.

"There. That's better," Roy said sweetly.

_'Same, old Roy.'_

"How are you feeling?" Ed asked as he took Roy's left hand in his own.

"Eh, I'm not gonna lie, I've been better, but I'm feeling a lot better now that you're here," Roy said smiling. "You heard that I'm going back to Central today? They think they can fix my hand. I sure hope so, because I can't mastur- I mean write well with my left hand."

_'Yep, definitely same, old Roy.'_

"Roy," Ed said in jocking disgust with a laugh.

"Well, it's true! Anyways, wanna see my brand? I think it looks kinda cool. Sure, it hurts like hell, but it's growing on me," Roy said. He took his hand out of Ed's and lifted his shirt to show off the burn mark.

Leave it to Roy to see the lighter side of things.

"Isn't it awesome looking? It'll be cooler once it stops hurting. They wanted to load me up on morphine and all that other junk. Pft. Not no, but hell no. With my luck I'll become addicted to the shit."

"Are you in any pain?" Ed asked concernedly.

"Kinda. I'm not really sure...My hand hurts a lot, but I've gotten used to it. That's really about all that hurts. My brand doesn't always hurt, but I'm used to that pain too," Roy replied with a shrug. "Don't worry about me, Ed. I'm fine...well...ah...Nevermind..."

"No, what is it?"

Ed knew the answer as soon as Roy closed his eyes and the smile that Ed knew all too well formed on his lips. Ed smiled as he bent down to softly kiss Roy's lips. When they broke away, Roy's smile brightened which made Ed's do so too.

"But really, Ed, don't worry about me. You let me do all the worrying, okay?"

Ed nodded and cursed himself for wanting to cry again.

"So many times I thought I'd never get to say it again, but I love you, Edward," Roy said softly.

Ed bent down again to kiss Roy's lips.

"I love you."

Just as the words left Ed's lips, several nurses, a doctor, and Fuery came in announcing that the helicopter would be there any second now. The medical staff went to start wheeling Roy away, but he stopped them.

"Wait, wait, wait," Roy said and they stopped. He looked at Ed, Fuery was standing next to him. "I'll be waiting for you at home, and please, don't cheat on me with Fuery." He winked and chuckled lightly as he motioned for them to take take him away to meet the helicopter.

Ed slapped his forehead, letting his hand slide down over his eyes as the memory popped in his head of the day he mistook Fuery for Roy. He found himself laughing lightly at the memory. The laugh died away as the sound of gunfire in the distance met his ear reminding him that war was still going on. Now that he knew the reason behind the war, he didn't want to fight in it and he hoped the other soldiers would feel the same way. An idea sprung in his head and he lifted his head to look at Fuery who was idly digging the toe of his boot in the floor.

"Hey, Fuery, how hard would it be to send a line to CT?" Ed asked.

"Not hard at all. Why?"

Ed explained what he wanted to do, and Fuery was completely in agreement with it, so they set the plan in action.

It was noon, so a lot of people were in the mess hall eating lunch. Fuery and Ed went to the back of the campsite where the communications tent was. That was the only means of contacting outside the war zone as cellphones were not allowed. They already thought about sending a letter, but the risk of it being intercepted or not making it all the way to Central was too great. That only left calling the most read newspaper in all of Amestris, The Central Times or commonly referred to as CT.

They were taking a great risk doing this because using the phone lines unathorized was a high offense, and if they got caught...

Luckily, what few people were in the tent didn't pay any attention to Fuery and Ed. Fuery led Ed to a small room in the back of the tent. No one was there. Fuery quickly set up the line and handed the phone to Ed. It took Ed a lot of repeating and persuasion to convince the reporter on the other end that he was telling the truth. Finally, after minutes of near-arguing and almost-outburts, the conversation ended with the promise that the news would be front page the next day.

With that part done, it was time to spread the news throughout the camp. It was that time of day where alchemists were never on the field, so Ed decided he'd start with them first. He was able to round the remaining four alchemist in his tent and he told them.

It wasn't long before the entire camp was buzzing. Some of the soldiers and officers refused to step back on the field while others didn't care at all the reason why they were at war.

"Ed, I hope you're right about all of this," Fuery said. They were in Ed's tent.

"Believe me, I do too."

"I mean, you don't even have any proof...You don't have any proof!! Well that's just great, Ed. Without proof we're toast."

"Uh oh...I hadn't thought about that..."

* * *

If only they'd gotten to see the Fuhrer face the next morning as he read the front page of the newspaper.

In Central the next morning, the city went flaming at the news. The women of the city were furious at the reason why their children and husbands were fighting in the war. In an attempt to stop rioting, the Fuhrer publicly announced that the article was a lie and that there no shred of evidence to prove it true, but that didn't stop the angry mob of estrogen from finding the proof needed to bring their family members back home.

Because of the war, Central Headquarters was rather bare of soldiers and that meant that there was nothing to stop the angry mob from storming into the Fuhrer's office. The Fuhrer and what few soldiers were still had HQ couldn't stop the mob as they tore through the office in an attempt to find proof which, to the Fuhrer's dismay, was found. In the Fuhrer's desk underneath a stack of papers and files was a record book that proved the value of the newspaper article. It was a record book of the Philion youth that had been sold as sex slaves throughout Amestris and all under the Fuhrer's lead. Now they had the proof. Now they needed to _persuade_ the Fuhrer to put an end to the war.

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A week went by. There was a rumour going around the camp that negotiations were underway between the two conflicting sides. A lot of the soldiers asked about it, but there was no confirmation on the rumours. They were just rumours. Ed and Fuery were hopefully that their attempt to end the war had worked when they first heard the rumour, but now, the hope was starting to die away. No one knew about what had happened in Central a week ago.

It wasn't until late in the evening that everything stopped. Ed was laying in his cot trying to fall to sleep when he realized that he could no longer hear the gunfire in the distance. He waited for a moment for the sound to continue, but it didn't. He found it too good to be true so he continued waiting. The only sound that he heard was that of someone slowly entering his tent.

"Well, Fullmetal, pack your bags. We're going home," Kimblee said smiling. Ed jumped out of his bed and a yelp of surprise came from Kimblee as the small blond tightly wrapped his arms around his waist.

"E-Ed!"

"Oh, right...sorry...got carried away," Ed muttered as he let go of Kimblee. "But really, the war's over? We're going home?"

"Yes and yes. They said that we're leaving in the morning at sunrise."

"Alright. Do you know how?"

"Not a clue."

Kimblee turned to leave, but Ed reach out and grabbed his forearm.

"Kimblee, thanks," he said softly. Kimblee turned to face the younger alchemist.

"Uh...No problem, I guess. You were bound to find out anyway."

"No, I don't mean about that. Thank you for being there." His amber eyes looked away from Kimblee. "You really held me up, y'know."

"You owe me," Kimblee said. The smirk on Kimblee's lips made Ed regret saying anything. He looked up at Kimblee wide-eyed when Kimblee placed his hand on Ed's shoulder. "It sucks being single. So lonely."

"K-Kimble, please, don't," Ed pleaded softly as Kimblee pushed him back and down on his cot.

"Ugh, again with that?" Kimblee asked as he sat down on the cot next to Ed. "I'm proud to say that I'm not like that anymore. I've grown a lot since high school, y'know. Besides, I wouldn't want Roy to kick my ass...again. But I was wondering...do you still live with that chick, Wendy?"

"You mean Winry? Yeah."

"Is she single?"

"Knowing Winry, yeah, she probably is."

"I want you to introduce me to her. I always thought she was kind of cute," Kimblee said.

"Sure thing," Ed said, relief washing over him. Now that he thought about it, Kimblee really had grown up since high school. He used to be such a dick, but now he was a fairly decent guy. Ed wondered when or why this change in him had occured.

After Kimblee left and Ed got packed, he laid in his cot.

_'It's over. I get to go home. I finally get to go home,' _he thought before dozing off, a smile on his face.

On the bus going home the next morning, Ed and Fuery sat together. It wasn't long before they had a nice conversation going. Their conversation, which covered anything other than the war, brought them all the way home. When they got off the bus in front of Central Headquarters, they were greeted by a mob of highly emotional family members. Fuery was tackled by a swarm of women. Ed chuckled lightly and began to leave.

"Hey, Ed, you leaving?" Fuery asked, pulling out of the mob of his sisters, nieces, cousins and his mother.

"Yep," Ed replied. There was no one waiting for him there.

"I'll come visit you and Roy sometime, okay?"

Ed simply smiled as he turned and continued his walk. As he walked, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder, he wondered where his home actually was. He had two homes in Central; one with the Rockbells and one with Roy. Of course, Roy wouldn't be at home, and Ed really didn't want to feel the wrath of Winry. He walked heading home to the Rockbells, but he was itching to see Roy. He hadn't seen him in a week. Besides, visiting hours at the hospital weren't for another few hours, and Roy was probably with his parents.

Ed walked down the surprisingly empty sidewalk with his head bowed watching his feet. He never saw the person hidden in the shadows of the alley. He yelped with surprise as he was pulled into the shadows and thrown against the wall. Immediately, someone's lips crashed down on his. They stayed locked together for what felt like an eternity.

"I've missed you, Ed," he said. His breath was hot and heavy against the skin of Ed's neck.

Ed threw his head back against the wall as the other man's lips kissed at his neck.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?" Ed managed to ask. His breathing was ragged from the startling event and from the delightful exhilaration at having those soft lips against his skin again.

"Oh, I've mastered the art of escape," Roy said in a low, heavy voice then continued kissing at Ed's neck again. His lips went upward to catch Ed's own.

After they broke away, they left the alley. Ed noticed that Roy looked a lot better than he did the last he'd seen him. His hand was bandaged nicely together.

"Y'know, you scared me half to death," Ed chided halfheartedly. Roy simply wrapped his arm around the blond and pulled him close.

As they walked together, both of them knew it. Both of them knew that everything was going to be okay. Both of them knew that life was going to continue on and the world was going to keep turning. But most of all, both of them knew that their relationship wasn't going anywhere but forward. The war had proved that they were meant to be together. Throughout the bloodshed, something was seeing them through to a happy ending. That something was love. Pure, innocent, heartfelt, and true love.

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**See? I told you it sucked. It makes me think of a paint splatter because of how it just goes everywhere. Well, I hope it all made sense too. Oh, and I completely forgot about Ed's foster father...so...he just kinda of disappeared from the fic...Oh well. We'll just say that he died in the war. -shrug-**

**Anyways, please review!**


	17. Three Years

**So here's the final chapter of this fic. It's done! I'm sad now. I don't want this fic to end, but it has to! This chapter is...well...I'm not sure...It went to the direction that it did because of a review I got the other day. And believe me, I'm absolutely terrible with writing final endings, so the ending isn't that great...But I tried! I'm really glad this fic is as long as it is because it's really helped me realize where my weaknesses as a writer are. Anyways, I'd like to thank everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and all that jazz! So for the last time, I ask of you to please read and review!**

**Oh, and I think I made up a few words in this chapter...Haha...**

**Check out my other fics! You won't be disappointed! I hope...Haha!**

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The days faded into one another. The beginning was hazy and went by in a blur, but they were days to be remembered. Following the war, a large ceremony took place to honor those who were lost in the crossfire between the two countries. Medals and words of gratitude and bravery were given to those who'd returned. Some came back whole and sane while others came back as, literally, half the person they were from before the war either mentally or physically or both.

He didn't care about the others though, as uncompassionate or inhuman as that made him seem. There were few people he cared about out of the soldiers, and all of them had made it home in one piece. Zolf Kimblee, Kain Fuery, and Roy Mustang. Him especially.

After the war, Ed introduced Kimblee to Winry... Three days. In the case of opposites attract, it was just proved wrong with them. They were too different for each other. It was a humorous relationship to watch though. Kimblee was actually a gentlemen around girls. They would argue constantly though, but what was funny about it was the situation surrounding it. They'd be walking side by side, arguing, yet while both of them pleaded their sides, Kimblee kept his arm wrapped around Winry's small waist, pulling her close. While they argued and walked, he'd still open the door for her and all. It was comical to see. They just weren't meant to be.

With Kain Fuery though... His luck was golden. After the war, dozens of colleges and universities throughout the world sent him letters. He could go anywhere he wanted, and plus, because of his services during the war (one he didn't have to participate in), the State was paying majority of his college funds. He was practically going for free. And on top of all of that, he found himself a girl. A pretty, little thing too, well, to Fuery's eyes at least. Their relationship was slow, but strong. Both of them were in that beginning stage, having little or no experience at all in the whole boyfriend/girlfriend field, which was awkward and strange. Fuery would come to Ed or Roy with questions sometimes. They found it cute and endearing how perfect Fuery wanted everything with the girl to be even though he was so shy about it. Sheska, her name was.

And with Roy... Ed's fears and concerns of an after-war Roy dissipated. Physically, Roy was doing great. Due to the major advances in medical science over the past decade, Roy's hand was able to be repaired. He was finally able to wiggle his fingers and grab things and whatnot. He was oddly proud of the scar that'd made its home on the palm and back of his hand. And he was officially in love with scar on his abdomen now that the pain of it was gone. His body, like Ed's, told a story, and though he wouldn't admit to some of the parts and was ashamed by some of it, he had survived what many unfortunately did not.

On a mental level, Ed was fearful and confused by Roy in the beginning. Ed wasn't fearful for himself, but for Roy. He had a true fear that Roy was going to do something bad to himself, something Ed himself had attempted before. The days right after the end of the war, Ed didn't know what to make of Roy. One minute he would be cheery and high-spirited, but then the next, Ed could see such sadness in his eyes. Roy seemed broken - shattered - in those moments. That scared him, especially after a terrible dream invaded his sleep one night. He dreamt he went to Roy's only to find him hanging from the ceiling. After that dream, he stayed with Roy for as long as he could throughout the day and sometimes at night. Ed often found himself sighing in relief at the days that followed, the days he'd walk into Roy's to find him lounging about instead of in the ways his mind told him were possible which included everything from bleeding wrists to rope around the neck to foam at the mouth from overdose to blood splatter on the wall and a gun clutched in a lifeless hand. The images made him nauseous, but it was reality. He was beyond overwhelmed with happiness as the days went by and he saw the change in Roy. He no longer saw sadness in his eyes, and Ed could _feel_ the change.

But even though nothing extremely terrible happened to Ed, it took him the longest to fall back into his regular life from before the war. He spent so much time on his toes worrying about Roy that he didn't feel that he could go resume his life at the moment. But once he was certain that Roy had fallen back into his normal life, he eased up and fell back into it too.

The war felt like an eternity ago. Winter had long since faded from the air to be replaced with the gentle warmth of spring. Spring. What a wonderful time.

Ed opened his eyes with a deep breath, smiling back at the face smiling at him. Roy leaned forward to softly kiss Ed's lips.

"We made it, Ed. Three years," Roy said softly.

Exactly three years ago, they started their relationship. They got into a mini-argument over when exactly their relationship had started. Did it start when Ed first approached Roy about Winry or the first day of Ed's week of slavery? Or was it the first time they said 'I love you' to each other or was it the first time they had sex? They decided that they would go by the first day of Ed's slavery. They both agreed that that was really the day that everything started mainly because of Roy's actions that day.

An hour later, Roy went off to take a shower. Ed was left in his room alone and bored, so he decided to dig. He'd done this many times before, so why not now?

He left the bed. The curtains were pulled shut so he didn't bother to cover himself. His artificial foot clicked softly as he walked across the wooden floor. He stood up on his toes to see what rested on a shelf mounted high up on the wall. On it was a collection of dust, a few trophies and awards, and a framed picture of Roy with his family. Not interested in what was there, he moved on. Roy had a bookshelf in his room with only four shelves, and it seemed that the book collection had grown since the last time Ed had looked there.

"Amestris History...Calculus...Shakespeare...Technical Writing...Astronomy...World Geography..." Ed said to himself as he ran his fingers of the titled bind of each book.

Roy was surprisingly a very studious, knowledge-seeking person, and Ed found out quick that Roy got these unprompted urges where he had to know something about something. When Roy got these urges, he would usually go to the bookstore the next day and buy a book on whatever it was he wanted to know about and spend hours reading. Ed never understood how Roy could sit and willingly read a book on something as difficult, and boring, as Calculus or whatever it was he was reading at the time.

As Ed studied the collection, desperately looking for something to keep him occupied until Roy came back, he found a book that wasn't like the others. It wasn't titled, it was about an inch thick, and was near weightless as Ed pulled it from its home on the shelf. He looked at the blank, jet-black cover of the book which as he opened it realized wasn't a reading book, but a picture book instead. A photo album, to be exact. He'd never seen the album before nor the pictures in it. He went back over to Roy's bed to flip through it; he sat Indiana style with the blanket over his lap.

The first sheet of pictures was of a much younger Roy with his family on what must've been Roy's twelfth birthday because of the pointed hat on his head that was decorated with 12s. Roy was smiling brightly in every picture from that day. Ed found himself laughing from the pictures, especially one of Roy chasing his mother with the water hose, but his mother got him back by taking a handful of birthday cake and mushing it on Roy's face.

He turned the page. Just by looking at each picture, Ed came to know Roy even more than before. The pictures showed several birthdays and Christmases, him hanging out with some friends Ed didn't know, him kissing some girl (which made Ed kind of jealous), him getting his Ford Mustang, and many others. He wondered why Roy had never shown him the pictures before.

As he got closer to the end of the album, the pictures changed. He looked at the first picture Roy had ever taken of him. He smiled at the clueless looking teen that seemed to look back at him. In the picture, he looked as if he had never seen a camera before. It was one of those "Gotcha!" type pictures. He looked at the remaining pictures on the page which showed him and Roy in various places and poses and whatnot. It was back when their relationship was fresh, only a week or two after that life-changing week of slavery.

Ed looked at the rest of the pictures in the album, majority that remained were of him and Roy. He was on the last plastic page when he saw the picture that made him smile though it also made him sad. It was of them kissing. The top of the picture was torn from where it had been separated from the other three pictures. There had been a fold in the picture that left a white crease going down it, but in the corner of the picture was a spot of blood. Ed ran his fingers over the plastic that protected the picture. He didn't have to guess where the blood had come from. Roy had the picture with him when he'd been taken by the Philions. He became lost in the picture; his mind went back to the day he'd been told Roy was dead, the day he lost everything. As his mind whirled with the memory of that day, he hunched over slightly with his automail hand over his eyes. Lost in his thoughts, he never heard Roy's soft footsteps cross over to the bed.

Roy sat next to him on the bed, but the movement caught no attention from Ed. He peered over to see what was in Ed's lap and shook his head with an inward sigh. A soft smile crept up on his lips to help keep his spirit up. He ran his hand up Ed's bare back, the scars that resided there hadn't faded any over the years. His fingers ran upwards to enter the forest of short, gold locks. He went all the way up to the top of Ed's head where he playfully ruffled his hair. Finally, Ed removed his hand from his face and turned to look at him.

Roy's fingers left his hair to go down under Ed's chin. He tilted Ed's head back slightly and closed his eyes as he softly brought his lips down on Ed's in what came a long, passionate kiss. When the kiss broke, Roy pressed his forehead against Ed's and brought both of his hands up to rest on Ed's cheeks.

"So many almosts," he whispered. "God, I love you."

Their noses bumped together as Roy shifted the position of his head to be able to kiss Ed again.

"Sometimes," he said in a low whisper that caressed Ed's ear. "I don't think we were meant to be together."

The words sent immediate confusion as they processed in Ed's mind. He pulled away from Roy to look in his eyes, his confusion evident in his own.

"What do you mean by that?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that! I would never!" Roy said, waving his hands in front of him. He realized that his words did imply that their relationship to end. "What I mean is so much has happened to us, so much that we really shouldn't be together now."

Ed stared at him blankly. He didn't understand what Roy was getting at.

"There were so many times where if one little thing would've happened instead of what did happen, then we wouldn't be together now. For instance, if I would've called Winry back after that date three years ago, then me and her might be together today instead of me and you."

"Oh, I see..." Ed said slowly. "Why didn't you call her back though? Why didn't you two become a couple?"

Roy was a bit surprised by the question and by Ed's tone of voice, sharp.

"She wasn't my type. She was one hell of a kisser though, not as great as you though. But anyways, what I'm trying to say is we proved everyone wrong. At the beginning of our relationship everyone told me to get out of it, that we wouldn't last long. But we proved them wrong. And as the days went by, Fate decided to make an attempt at coming between us by throwing so many obstacles in our path. It only made us stronger, didn't it?"

Roy crawled forward, pushing Ed back by his shoulder. He went out of the Indiana style position, extending his body as Roy's legs tangled with his. The blanket was the only thing that separated the actual touch. The photo album still laid open across Ed's front. Once Ed was completely on his back, Roy straddled his hips. He leaned down to kiss at Ed's neck.

"We're so lucky, aren't we?" Roy said between kisses. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Edward."

Ed moaned softly in response to Roy's lips on his chest. He brought his hand to the back of Roy neck; Roy had gotten used to the sudden coldness of metal a long time ago. His other hand tangled in the damp mess of black hair.

And so they repeated the events of the previous night. Their bodies completely entangled with another to become a single body. Their moans filled the still air of the apartment (and probably even the neightbors'...). Their breathing came short and raggedly.

They collapsed sweating, breathless, and satisfied. Their bodies remained tangled together as Roy wrapped his arms around Ed's body, running his thumb along his collarbone and breathing in his hair. They stayed silent, comfortably silent, as both of them absorbed the effects of the act and got their breathing back down. After a few minutes, the silence was broken.

"Hey, Ed?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you love me?" Roy asked.

"Because you're my everything. Before you, everything was so dark in my life. When I saw the light piercing through the darkness, I wasn't sure what it was at first, but I reached for it. That light turned out to be you. You're my light, Roy. My everything. And that's why I love you," Ed replied. "And why do you love me?" he asked back.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, and summer's lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, and often is his gold complexion dimmed; and every fair from fair sometime declines, by chance or nature's changing course untrimmed. But thy eternal summer shall not fade, nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st, nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade, when in eternal lines to time thou grow'st. So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, so long lives this, and this gives life to thee."

"You've been reading Shakespeare again, haven't you?" Ed asked.

"Guilty," Roy replied with a light chuckle. "I'm not good with words, Ed. You know that. All I can really say that comes from my own lips and not the hand of a poet is that I do love you. The reasons why don't matter, just that we do."

"Then why did you ask in the first place?"

"I dunno. Wanted to see how sappy you could get," Roy said.

Ed laughed. He turned around so that he could see Roy. They just smiled at each other.

"Are you ready?" Ed asked.

"Huh? Ready for what?"

"Life, of course. Do you think we'll make it?"

"Only if we stay together," Roy said.

They still had a lifetime ahead of them, and in only three years, so much had happened. Both of them knew that only more would happen. Fate, Life, Love, or whatever it actually was, was going to keep throwing obstacles in their path. They both knew that.

"So long as we stick together, we'll be fine," Roy said reassuringly.

"Do you think it'll be that easy?"

"No, of course it won't be easy, but when was anything about life ever easy? But I don't think we need to worry about anything though. I have a feeling we're going to be together for a long time, Ed."

"A long time? Like a few months, maybe? I'm not sure how much longer I can stick around you," Ed said.

"Pft, as if you would ever leave me! You need me," Roy said with a smile.

"Yeah, that's true. I need you more than you'll ever know. Question is though, do you need me as I need you?"

Roy didn't answer. He simply closed his eyes for a brief moment, smiling. He leaned forward to kiss Ed's forehead.

_'I don't know what I'd do without you,'_ Roy thought to himself as he gazed lovingly into Ed's amber eyes.

* * *

**I hope the ending wasn't as bad as I think it is. I really wasn't too sure on how to end this fic. Anyways, thanks for reading everyone! Please review! XD**


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